Vladimir Putin didn’t physically attend the White House, but his influence was undeniably present and at times, it was the dominant force in the room. Three key moments highlighted the Russian president’s current sway over Donald Trump.
The first of these moments took place in the Oval Office. Sitting alongside Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the US president informed reporters, “I don’t think you need a ceasefire.” This marked a significant shift in Trump’s approach to the conflict, as he had previously prioritized a ceasefire; however, following his meeting with Putin in Alaska, this stance had changed.
The second noteworthy moment was the format of the interactions. At the Alaska meeting, Putin was not obligated to answer any questions, likely because he preferred not to. Conversely, Zelenskyy did not have this choice; he faced a barrage of questioning as if to assess whether he had learned from the last time.
The third moment was their phone conversation. Initially, President Trump signaled he would communicate with Putin after meeting with European leaders. But in fact, the phone call occurred during this meeting—indicating perhaps that Trump felt the need to coordinate first with Putin before continuing his discussions.
While the specifics of the peace proposal being drafted are not fully understood, it’s clear that Russia is significantly shaping its direction. The White House is merely providing the framework, but it seems the Kremlin is steering the process.
For Moscow, the goal is to keep Trump committed to their vision of peace, which prioritizes settlement over a ceasefire, as Moscow believes this approach secures their interests due to their greater leverage while the conflict persists. Moscow is thus striving to maintain its influence over Trump’s stance, portraying itself as the most eager party for peace and casting Kyiv and Europe as the main obstacles.
Despite this, Putin is aware of Trump’s volatility and the potential for a change of heart based on Trump’s latest conversation. Consequently, Russia is striving to continually assert its influence to ensure its objectives are not swayed and its boundaries remain firm.
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Putin is cautious of Trump’s malleable nature and the possibility of his opinions being swayed. To prevent any shift in Trump’s sympathies and to preserve Russia’s position, Russia is eagerly ensuring its standpoint is consistently heard and maintained.
For example, the Russian foreign ministry promptly denounced recent comments by the UK government suggesting readiness to deploy troops to enforce any ceasefire, labeling such ideas as “provocative” and “predatory.” Moscow is attempting to depict itself as the most eager for peace and portrays Kyiv and Europe as the hindrances to achieving it.
Despite Zelenskyy’s agreement to a trilateral meeting, the Kremlin has not confirmed its participation. Following the phone call between Putin and Trump, it was announced that the leaders discussed “raising the level of representatives” in talks between Russia and Ukraine. The exact details of what this entails remain uncertain.
Source: https://news.sky.com/story/putin-wasnt-at-the-white-house-but-his-influence-was-key-moments-which-reveal-his-hold-over-trump-13414421
