President

Trump

has consistently changed his stances on

Ukraine

to accommodate

Russian

President Vladimir Putin, despite giving very little in return.


Why it matters:

Critics of Trump argue that he’s being manipulated, suggesting Putin doesn’t plan to make peace and is merely leading him on. However, White House officials maintain their belief that Putin is poised to take concrete actions toward an agreement.


The big picture:

For now,

Trump has given Putin

much of what the Russian president had hoped for: no ceasefire, no more sanctions, an intra-NATO divide, and a remarkable amount of leeway from a U.S. leader not known for his patience.

  • Trump has occasionally acknowledged that Putin might be “tapping me along,” and has even threatened sanctions or tariffs if Putin keeps obstructing the peace process.
  • But Trump emerged from his

    call with Putin

    On Monday, he demonstrated even greater respect towards Putin—dismissing requests for sanctions, yielding his role as mediator in favor of the format favored by Putin, and celebrating Russia’s readiness to outline its conditions for peace as a significant diplomatic achievement.


Zoom in:

After the call, Trump proposed peace talks in the Vatican, with White House officials saying the Russians would arrive bearing a “peace memo” that laid out Moscow’s vision for a ceasefire and a larger deal to end the war.

  • However, on Friday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov — while acknowledging that Russia was working on such a document — rejected the notion of holding talks at the Vatican, arguing that it would not be suitable as a location for two Orthodox Christian nations to meet.
  • Currently, according to Ukrainian authorities, they do not have any details regarding the timing or location for the subsequent negotiations after this one.

    first meeting

    last week in Istanbul.


The intrigue:

There’s a clear gap between Trump and European leaders regarding whether to apply pressure or show restraint towards Putin.

  • The U.K and EU announced new sanctions on Russia this week after Putin again rebuffed Trump’s ceasefire pitch. They’d hoped the U.S. would join, but Trump declined.
  • Trump’s

    deference to Putin

    Following Monday’s call, Allied leaders were left bewildered after joining a subsequent conference call with him.
  • As Moscow continued to delay progress in what Trump first said would be a swift 24-hour resolution, the U.S. president appeared more ready to withdraw completely rather than exert significant pressure on Putin.


Between the lines:

To push Zelensky to the negotiating table, Trump

scolded him in the Oval Office

and briefly halted intelligence sharing and weapon deliveries.

  • When dealing with Putin, he has primarily relied on incentives—especially the promise of reduced sanctions and improved economic relationships—but has not employed many deterrents.


What they’re saying:

“I believe Putin is leading us on,” Bridget Brink, who stepped down as the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine last month due to her opposition to Trump’s “accommodation” approach, said to CNN on Thursday. “That’s precisely why it’s crucial to be honest about the situation and increase pressure on Russia alongside our European partners and allies.”


The flipside:

According to The White House, Trump’s diplomatic efforts with Putin have persuaded him to create the upcoming peace memorandum, which he previously refused to do.

  • Trump has repeatedly argued that while it would be “easier” politically to go hard on Putin, maintaining friendly ties will be more fruitful.


What to watch:

Trump has someone playing the tough-guy role for him, with

Senate Republicans

— led by Trump supporter Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) — eager to

impose 500% tariffs

Regarding nations (especially China) that purchase Russian petroleum.

  • For now, Trump appears satisfied to allow Putin to be the one to act next.