
<p>Since the details of the meeting between President Trump and Russian madman Vladimir Putin have not been revealed – especially the alleged “agreements” &#8212; we can only judge the event by what we do know. ; From my perspective, it was very sad performance. ; Trump is supposed to be tough and a great dealmaker. ; He demonstrated neither of those traits in Alaska.</p>



<p>By all measures, the meeting was a failure – even by Trump’s pre-meeting assessment. ; He was very clear about two things. ; The purpose of the meeting was to achieve a ceasefire – and without a ceasefire, there could be no future peace negotiations. Instead, there would be a very harsh response in terms of sanctions and increased military support for Ukraine. ; That makes sense.</p>



<p>After the meeting, Trump did another of his 180-degree reversals. ; Having failed to get the ceasefire, Trump now contends that it is better to enter directly into peace negotiations without wasting time on a ceasefire. ; That means Putin can drag out any peace talks with delays and unacceptable demands &#8212; while he continues his murderous war crimes on the people of Ukraine in the hope of winning more ground. ; In fact, Putin’s military was attacking Ukrainians even as he and Trump were talking peace behind closed doors.</p>



<p>Trump has often expressed his desire to stop the killing, and that is ; a noble goal – maybe even a Nobel Prize goal. ; But he reached a low point when he said, “We are going to stop &#8230; really &#8230; five, six, seven thousands of people a week from being killed. <strong>President Putin wants to see that as much as I do</strong>,” (My highlight). Suggesting that Putin has had any good intentions – or gives a damn about the deaths he has caused and is causing – is an absurdity.</p>



<p>The failure to achieve any concessions from Putin is bad enough, but the optics were sickening. ; Trump gave Putin the royal welcome with a meeting at the airport &#8230; the red carpets &#8230; the ceremonial flyover &#8230; and warm handshakes and smiles.</p>



<p>All this for a man who invaded a free and independent democracy that is supposedly an ally of the United States and the European Union. ; This for a man who has killed more people in the past three years than the war in Afghanistan, the war in Iraq, the Hamas war and all the terrorist attacks combined. ; He is a war criminal, and yet Trump treats him with an undeserved fawning respect and praise.</p>



<p>There should have been no meeting at the airport &#8230; no red carpets &#8230; no flyover &#8230; no traveling together in the White House vehicle &#8230;  ;no handshakes &#8230; no friendly smiles &#8230; and no joint press conference. ; Trump and Putin should have arrived at the meeting separately and unceremoniously. Trump should have held the press conference on his own – with Putin dispatched to his plane and on his way back to Mother Russia.</p>



<p>Trump’s fan club claims he showed strength. ; WHAT? ; He was rolled, tied and tattooed by Putin. The Russian dictator got an image makeover and Trump got nothing. ; And Ukraine was sidelined as if it had no interests in the negotiations,</p>



<p>And what about all those tough actions Trump promised if there was no ceasefire? ; We will have to wait and see. ; Judging from Trump’s initial response, Putin may have won on those, too. ; All that may be put off pending some very long and fruitless peace talks. ;</p>



<p>Putin may eventually come to the table &#8212; but not in good faith. ; Only to look reasonable as he delays and thwarts any progress toward peace – and escalates his dirty war. ; Putin launched this war to take over all of Ukraine and has not given up on that ambition.</p>



<p>For reasons beyond rational explanation, Trump gave Putin a huge public relations and psychological win. ; Trump burnished the image of a megalomaniacal mass murderer. ; Thanks to Trump, Putin appeared to the world as a major player &#8230; a legitimate leader worthy of respect. ; It is no wonder that the Russian delegation and media were ecstatic with the meeting. ; Putin enhanced his image and conceded nothing.</p>



<p>If Trump and Europe are willing to allow Putin to annex 20 percent of Ukrainian territory without consequences for the death and destruction &#8212; the kidnapping &#8230; the war crimes &#8230; then he will have every incentive to continue his war. ;</p>



<p>Trump was no dealmaker in this round. ; He was the sucker at the table – or worse yet, the shill. ; His treatment of Putin was wrong strategically, politically and morally. ; It is easy to make a deal if you are willing to concede and appease. ; Trump talked like he pulled a rabbit out of the hat, but all I saw was a pig with lipstick.</p>



<p>So, there ‘tis.</p>

Trump/Putin meeting; No Deal and Disgusting Optics
