John McCain has sent Trump a letter pointing out that Putin is testing him (Trump) and that he needs to not fail the test.

Russia is testing President Donald Trump with a surge of violence in eastern Ukraine and the U.S. president should give Ukraine the lethal aid it needs to defend against the attacks, Senator John McCain said in a letter to Trump on Thursday.

Renewed violence flared this week between Moscow-backed rebels and Ukraine government forces that has caused the highest casualty rate since mid-December and cut off power and water to thousands of civilians on both sides of the frontline.

“That this surge of attacks began the day after he talked with you by phone is a clear indication that Vladimir Putin is moving quickly to test you as commander in chief. America’s response will have lasting consequences,” McCain said in a letter to Trump released by his office.

How will Trump respond? By calling McCain to scream at him? With a torrent of furious tweets? By going on Fox News to explain his deep love for Putin?

McCain urged Trump to use his authority under an existing defense policy law to provide lethal assistance to Ukraine.

“Vladimir Putin’s violent campaign to destabilize and dismember the sovereign nation of Ukraine will not stop unless and until he meets a strong and determined response,” McCain wrote.

Some of the most prominent Republican lawmakers in Congress have called for Ukraine to receive lethal arms.

But Putin is Trump’s good buddy. He’s said nice things about Trump, and he’s a fabulous guy. Big league. Tremendous.

McCain also called Australia’s ambassador to here to say Trump is an asshole so just ignore him.

Mr. Trump’s blustery phone call with Australia’s prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, was enough to pull the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee into the diplomatic breach.

In a remarkable statement, Mr. McCain, Republican of Arizona, announced that he had called Australia’s ambassador to the United States, Joe Hockey, to assure him of an “unwavering support for the U.S.-Australia alliance.”

“I asked Ambassador Hockey to convey to the people of Australia that their American brothers and sisters value our historic alliance, honor the sacrifice of the Australians who have served and are serving by our side, and remain committed to the safer, freer and better world that Australia does far more than its fair share to protect and promote.”

In other words: disregard the petulant child in the baggy blue suit.