Not necessarily, he may have simply calculated America would not go to war over a relatively small territory, not while it's busy in the ME. In fact posters here were hoping Obama would not go to war over it.I disagree. If he thought America's leadership was strong. he would have never stolen Crimea. Or the Chinese, the South Sea...
He pissed all over Hillary's reset button...
Even so, does not change the fact that if Putin were to decide to accept Drumpf's INVITATION to meddle, it would be to either weaken us, strengthen Russia, or both. Drumpf has given up any high ground he may have had on this.