Warum Trumps Gipfel mit Putin von Anfang an zum Scheitern verurteilt war

**From Daniel R. DePetris, fellow at Defense Priorities:**

President Donald Trump flew to Alaska hoping he could pull a diplomatic rabbit out of his hat. Although he kept his expectations low and described the high-stakes summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin as a way to determine whether Moscow was committed to participating in a serious peace process to end the war in Ukraine, it was clear from the get-go that Trump wanted to leave the meeting with some kind of ceasefire in hand. “I won’t be happy if I walk away without some form of a ceasefire,” Trump told Fox News’ Bret Baier.

If those were Trump’s true feelings, then he must have been sulking on Air Force One as he headed back to Washington, D.C. Trump not only failed to get the immediate, unconditional ceasefire he was pining for, but he also got bludgeoned by foreign policy commentators who faulted him for gifting Putin international legitimacy for nothing in return. Trump sounded downright solemn during his 12-minute “press conference” with Putin, admitting straight away that while unidentified progress was made, there wasn’t enough common ground to hash out even a rough, preliminary outline of a deal. 

Read more:  [https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/trump-putin-summit-russia-ukraine-what-happens-next-rcna225433](https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/trump-putin-summit-russia-ukraine-what-happens-next-rcna225433) 

For a person who loves to claim themselves as a “master negotiator” Trump has repeatedly undermined all of his own leverage. Even if he was not willing to fund and arm Ukraine further he shouldn’t have been so open about it and show his cards. 

For Putin what risk is there to not agree to Trump’s demands? Does he fear masses of American munitions flooding Ukraine? Does he fear more direct American intervention? Of course not. Trump and Vance have made it clear that they want nothing to do with the whole thing and that they’re just looking for a quick out. At this point Melania is tougher on Putin than anyone else in the WH.