Ukraine gave up nukes that were left in the country after the collapse of the Soviet Union in exchange for security assurances from the U.S. and Russia. Some Ukrainians believed that Moscow would not have launched its invasion had Kyiv held onto these weapons.

The U.S. is Taiwan's ace in the hole as it faces China's threats, so does Trump's fickle foreign policy fuel concern, or does Taipei have "a better hand"?

Thousands of miles away from Ukraine, Taiwan is wondering whether it will be the next casualty of the changing moods in Washington, D.C. — and about what they can do to avoid a similar fate.