
<p>On March 5, 2025, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy agreed to a ceasefire plan proposed and negotiated with President Trump. The only thing left was for Russian madman Vladimir Putin to agree. At the time, Trump said he expected such an agreement in the near future. “Near future” has long gone.</p>



<p>While I have strongly disagreed with Trump’s appeasement plan, I understand his sincerity in wanting to stop the killing of so many young soldiers and innocent civilians. Putin’s refusal to enter into a cease fire – and his brutal attacks on Ukraine’s civilian population &#8211;should have Trump enraged. He said he was displeased with Putin’s attacks on Ukraine. He has threatened sanctions and the resumption of arms for Ukraine, but so far, it has only been talk.</p>



<p>It seems obvious that Putin is operating on his own agenda and timetable. ; Minimally, he wants to take more land before entering into peace talks. ; Personally, I believe Putin still is minimally seeking a way to topple the Zelenskyy government in favor of a more friendly regime – and eventually absorb Ukraine into Russia. ; No cease fire agreement will end that ambition. ; He will obviously do whatever it takes.</p>



<p>Putin is literally making a chump of Trump – and proving he is better at the art of the deal than the self-proclaimed master. Trump&#8217;s patience with Putin now smacks of weakness. In the absence of an agreement, Putin will continue to use his military superiority to pound Ukraine into submission.</p>



<p>Even if Putin agrees to come to the negotiating table, you can rest assured that he will drag out the discussions ad infinitum – ad nauseam. And his attack on Ukraine will continue unabated. Trump talks about sanctions on Russia, but he has already taken up President Biden’s too little/too late approach. </p>



<p>Trump should prove himself again to be a person of determination. He should IMMEDIATELY impose harsh sanctions on Russia &#8230; ban the purchase of Russian oil &#8230; and go back to providing Ukraine with all the weapons and support they need to blunt the Russian invasion and take the offensive.</p>



<p>Trump may save more lives by defeating Putin than by allowing this war to drag on and enabling Putin to mount another invasion in the future.</p>



<p>I suppose it is too much to ask for to have Trump revise his strategy from peace through appeasement to one of actual victory – the defeat of Russia and the removal of Putin’s military from all of Ukraine. ; And NATO membership for Ukraine should be a prerequisite &#8212; non-negotiable.</p>



<p>Short of that, Putin will win by attrition over the next decade. ; A ceasefire will only put Putin’s ambitions on temporary hold – and give him an opportunity to rebuild his broken military.</p>



<p>Trump may be able to get Putin to the negotiating table. He may even be able to secure a cease fire/peace agreement. But it will have no more meaning than the 1939 Munich Agreement with Adolf Hitler. Putin’s history of broken agreements and promises gives strong evidence that he assumes the Hitler approach – leaving Trump to be Neville Chamberlain.</p>



<p>So, there ‘tis.</p>

Putin making a chump of Trump
