Donald Trump first described Vladimir Putin as "brilliant" and "smart".

He then praised the courage of the Ukrainians and claimed that with himself in the White House there would never have been war.

Whenever Trump comments on Putin or Ukraine, he is sure to attract public attention.

Now Trump is reviving the allegations that got him his first impeachment trial in 2019.

That summer he wanted to withhold military aid from Ukraine if President Volodymyr Zelenskyy did not investigate Joe Biden's son Hunter.

In an interview with the right-wing platform Real America News, Trump said he was hoping for information about Hunter Biden from Putin.

Trump claimed the president's son received $3.5 million from the wife of the late Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov.

He gave no evidence for this – according to reports, an American consulting firm is said to have received the money, but it does not belong to Biden.

The former president nonetheless said Putin knew the "answer" and should "release" it.

He also wanted information about Mykola Zlochevsky, who owns the Ukrainian gas company Burisma.

Hunter Biden served on Burisma's board of directors from 2014 to 2019, retiring when his father wanted to become president.

Intensive attempts by Trump to unearth “dirt” about Hunter Biden and his activities in Ukraine were unsuccessful at the time.

Appropriate projection screen for Republicans

The White House usually turns a deaf ear when Trump and his followers dig up their old Hunter Biden stories.

This time, however, a Biden spokeswoman felt confident enough to launch a counterattack: "How can an American, how can even an ex-president believe that this is the right moment to ally with Vladimir Putin and with his connections to... Bragging about Vladimir Putin?” There is only one, and his name is Donald Trump.

But for him the opportunity is obviously spot on.

Because Hunter Biden is making headlines again these days with his legal difficulties.

The fifty-two-year-old offers the Republicans a suitable projection surface, even if they have not been able to credibly link any of his numerous legal and personal problems with his father's work.

Hunter Biden has confessed to drug addiction in interviews and his memoir, his marriage failed, and he has an illegitimate child—all of which made it easier for Republicans to attack him.

Trump always insinuates that Joe Biden, as vice president, was influenced by his son's connections or could have pursued political goals in Ukraine through them - for neither there is any evidence.

Hunter Biden has other problems with the law.

For several years, the Department of Justice, the tax office and the federal police FBI have been investigating against him, among other things, for possible tax evasion.

For example, he may not have properly taxed all income from his overseas transactions, it said.

He may also have ignored his duty to report foreign lobbying activities.

So far, however, there have been no charges.