Putin is psychotic and delusional, he doesn't do the internet thing, he only listens to his incompetent and crooked advisors who shamelessly feed his delusions -and have done so from the outset when they told him, that yes, of course Ukraine could be conquered in three days - which is why the tank crews had three days of food and their dress uniforms with them, for the victory parade in Kiev...
Before Trump and Putin can exploit Ukraine won’t they need to end the war? Dead workers aren’t very productive. Trump got his minerals deal so the US and Ukraine can seek capital to get refining underway. Plants operated by Russians. What’s not to like. Investors all over could reap the rewards. Putin must know by now he must have partners. Lord help us.
The trouble is that Trump and Putin want the same land - whatever Putin has led Trump to believe. Like in Russia, no one shares any control with Putin, Putin gives his oligarchs the capability to make money - and lots of it, but the ultimate control is with Putin. Putin's oligarchs all have to "play baseball" on the same team: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHH9EYZHoVU - or else. Trump wants to be the same kind of guy, but isn't, and he knows it, and Putin knows it. And Putin wants all of Ukraine, and there won't be any room for Trump, whatever Putin has fooled Trump into thinking. Trump is weak, he can be maneuvered, and he can be catfished, and this is what Putin has been doing to him for the past 15 years if not more. Putin wafts money around Trump - the promise of money but never the actuality - in exchange for favors and influence. Putin used the threat of nuclear weapons to condition and influence Biden's decisions, Putin uses the promise of money and riches on Trump. In both cases he has been quite successful - he's maneuvered Trump into "giving" him territory that he hasn't been able to get by military force - and talk is a *lot* cheaper than fighting. If someone like Eisenhower or JFK or Reagan were in the WH, we'd be seeing none of this - and it's probable Putin wouldn't have tried in the first place. But Trump, Biden, Harris, and quite frankly most of the political class in Europe and the US are weak, corrupt, incompetent, and greedy people - and Putin can sense this and exploit it. That's the trouble - weak and unprincipled leaders in both political parties here - and it goes to their families as well. John Bolton isn't weak, General H R McMaster isn't weak, perhaps there are others in both parties in Congress who aren't weak and corrupt - but I can't recall any - and those are the kind of people we need to have in power.
I do hope Trump wakes up. Recent statements might suggest awareness. Sometimes people rise to the need. OTOH corruption affects too many and your sad assessment comes true.
Before Trump and Putin can exploit Ukraine won’t they need to end the war? Dead workers aren’t very productive. Trump got his minerals deal so the US and Ukraine can seek capital to get refining underway. Plants operated by Russians. What’s not to like. Investors all over could reap the rewards. Putin must know by now he must have partners. Lord help us.
The trouble is that Trump and Putin want the same land - whatever Putin has led Trump to believe. Like in Russia, no one shares any control with Putin, Putin gives his oligarchs the capability to make money - and lots of it, but the ultimate control is with Putin. Putin's oligarchs all have to "play baseball" on the same team: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHH9EYZHoVU - or else. Trump wants to be the same kind of guy, but isn't, and he knows it, and Putin knows it. And Putin wants all of Ukraine, and there won't be any room for Trump, whatever Putin has fooled Trump into thinking. Trump is weak, he can be maneuvered, and he can be catfished, and this is what Putin has been doing to him for the past 15 years if not more. Putin wafts money around Trump - the promise of money but never the actuality - in exchange for favors and influence. Putin used the threat of nuclear weapons to condition and influence Biden's decisions, Putin uses the promise of money and riches on Trump. In both cases he has been quite successful - he's maneuvered Trump into "giving" him territory that he hasn't been able to get by military force - and talk is a *lot* cheaper than fighting. If someone like Eisenhower or JFK or Reagan were in the WH, we'd be seeing none of this - and it's probable Putin wouldn't have tried in the first place. But Trump, Biden, Harris, and quite frankly most of the political class in Europe and the US are weak, corrupt, incompetent, and greedy people - and Putin can sense this and exploit it. That's the trouble - weak and unprincipled leaders in both political parties here - and it goes to their families as well. John Bolton isn't weak, General H R McMaster isn't weak, perhaps there are others in both parties in Congress who aren't weak and corrupt - but I can't recall any - and those are the kind of people we need to have in power.
I do hope Trump wakes up. Recent statements might suggest awareness. Sometimes people rise to the need. OTOH corruption affects too many and your sad assessment comes true.