2. The take from our Washington bureau, in fact, is that Mr. Putin may have handed Mr. Trump a lifeline.

Mr. Trump can now start a new chapter on a range of areas in which the two countries are at odds, including Syria, Ukraine, Crimea, the Middle East, the future of NATO and nuclear weapons.

But moving too far, or too fast, in that direction creates enormous risks for Mr. Trump. Members of the Republican Party establishment remain strongly suspicious of Mr. Putin’s intentions.