Putin sees Trump's deal as a win for Russia

President Trump believes he can quickly end the Ukraine war through a profitable deal, but Russian President Vladimir Putin shows no interest in compromising his war aims, viewing US concessions as a sign his strategy is working. This fundamental misunderstanding has driven the Trump administration's failed peace efforts. During a critical meeting in St. Petersburg, Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff briefed Putin on new peace proposals, but a Kremlin aide dismissed them as containing "little of actual value." Putin has refused to budge on hardline positions, including control over the entire Donbas region and a say in Ukraine's security arrangements, despite Trump lifting sanctions on Russian diesel exports and proposing an energy ceasefire. The Kremlin uses economic incentives, like fertilizer exports and data center projects, to flatter Trump, while also releasing a 74-year-old US citizen, Stephen Hubbard, from captivity. The White House lauded the release as a humanitarian act, but Moscow likely sees it as another tool to distract and charm its temperamental counterpart.