Trump is getting the Ukraine-Russia war all wrong and hes making it even harder on himself
It was never going to be easy for President Trump to bring an end to the Ukraine war, but it’s even harder when he’s operating under an erroneous theory of the conflict.The man who instigated the war and who is the chief obstacle to peace is Vladimir Putin.Yet, this enemy of the West, murderer of dissidents, and serial perpetrator of wars of territorial aggrandizement has never been subjected to the same US pressure campaign as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, whose fundamental offense is to be leading a country that his larger neighbor wants to subjugate.After a much-anticipated phone call with Putin on Monday, Trump sounded optimistic and said Ukraine and Russia will keep negotiating, although there was no indication of anything new.After the browbeating he took in the Oval Office a few months ago and a pause in US intelligence assistance, Zelensky got the message.He’s done everything possible to portray himself as the reasonable one who’s interested in pursuing a deal.A US-proposed general cease-fire? Zelensky has said he’s willing to accept it.
Russia’s idea for direct talks in Istanbul? Zelensky accepted (after initial opposition), and said he’d go himself.He signed a critical minerals deal with the US.Putin, in contrast, has been at the receiving end of an all-carrots approach, and has reacted accordingly.One of Trump’s advantages on the world stage is that he can make use of the “mad man theory,” the idea that he’s so unpredictable and potentially extreme that it’s best not to displease him.Against type, Trump has been less the mad man with Putin than the therapist, who speaks in dulcet tones, is understanding to a fault and is determinedly non-judgmental.Pretty much whatever Putin does, Trump says someone else would do the same in his circumstances.
Putin could nuke Warsaw, and Trump might be tempted to observe, “Well, it’s a shame and I hope he doesn’t do it again.”Trump almost never strikes a pleading tone, but when...