In Rare Criticism, Trump Says Putin Is 'Destroying Russia'

[Emrys]

6. It's a step on from when Trump lauded Putin's invasion of Ukraine as "genius" and "savvy" move just two years ago

Whether it'll last if Trump and Putin have the face-to-face (two face-to-two face?) get-together the Kremlin's seemingly desperate for, we'll have to wait and see. Maybe he'll about-turn and emerge from the meeting looking like a whipped dog again.

Trump is always transactional. Putin's cornered and weak, getting weaker by the day, and Trump may see richer pickings in reconstituting Ukraine once the hostilities end and the lure of a series of Trump-branded resorts and hotels on handily created brownfield sites in Ukraine becomes too juicy to resist. It's a sickening prospect, but his greed and ambition may be decisive in the end.

Meanwhile, I hope behind the scenes Ukraine's European and NATO allies don't give Trump carte blanche to land Ukraine with a deal that will only store further trouble for the future. I don't recall any vote or diplomatic moves that have given the Trump administration the right to do that, albeit Zelensky's having to butter up Trump at the moment in the hope of benefit for his country.