Leon Aron, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and author of Riding the Tiger: Vladimir Putin’s Russia and the Uses of War, offered this assessment of Putin’s motives and US blind spots in an April 15 opinion piece published at POLITICO:
The truth that has so far eluded Trump and his administration is that Putin doesn’t really have an interest in negotiating a peace with Ukraine. The Trump administration’s inability to see this plain fact in large part is due to the same three blind spots that plague virtually all U.S. presidents vis-à-vis Russia: an ignorance of the country; an unbound confidence in their personal gift of persuasion; and an inability to appreciate the ideological and political imperatives that drive authoritarian regimes. In all three areas, Donald Trump appears to have surpassed his White House predecessors.
Here are seven reasons why Putin is stonewalling.
(“Seven Reasons Putin Doesn’t Want to End the War in Ukraine,”
https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2025/04/15/putin-ukraine-reasons-war-00290138)
Readers, please note that the Russian ruble has appreciated about 40% against the US dollar since Trump administration officials have been trying to persuade (seduce) Putin. Also note that Putin’s allies are the bad actors of the world.
Readers who asked for the explanation of the Trump policy towards Putin seem as puzzled as I am.
Maybe there is no policy and only hyperbole and bombast? As I remember, it was Putin who invaded Ukraine, not the other way around. Here’s a reading list to mull. I’d be interested in hearing from those who read further and ponder.
Further Reading
“The Age of American Unilateralism,”
https://www.foreignaffairs.com/united-states/age-american-unilateralism
“The Kremlin’s Payoff? Russia Prepares ‘Hooks’ to Buy Off Trump,”
https://olgalautman.substack.com/p/the-kremlins-payoff-russia-prepares
Where things stand
“Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, April 22, 2025,”
https://understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-april-22-2025
“Trump’s ‘final offer’ for peace requires Ukraine to accept Russian occupation,”
https://www.axios.com/2025/04/22/trump-russia-ukraine-peace-plan-crimea-donbas
“Vance Says Ukraine, Russia Will Have to Cede Territory,”
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/2025-04-23/vance-says-ukraine-russia-will-have-to-cede-territory-video?sref=TG2o5EVv
“Vance issues ultimatum to Russia, Ukraine on peace negotiations,”
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/vance-issues-ultimatum-russia-ukraine-peace-negotiations
On the Easter Ceasefire
“Putin Orders 30-Hour Easter Ceasefire, Ukraine Urges Extension,”
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-04-19/war-in-ukraine-putin-orders-easter-weekend-ceasefire-through-monday
“Live: Ukraine accuses Russia of breaching Easter ceasefire with ongoing attacks,”
https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20250419-live-russia-s-putin-announces-a-one-day-easter-ceasefire-in-ukraine
David R. Kotok, April 23, 2025
(The above was first published on The Kotok Report website and via LISTSERV. For details, and to subscribe to The Kotok Report, visit https://kotokreport.com/.)