Trump pushes to restore Putin's standing at Ukraine's expense

President Trump is intensifying efforts to rehabilitate Russia and President Vladimir Putin on the global stage, even at the expense of Ukraine, according to a new analysis. Trump has characterized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as the main obstacle to peace. Trump's envoys will meet Zelensky in Oslo on Tuesday before traveling to St. Petersburg to meet Putin, where they may secure the release of an American detainee. The administration is pushing Ukraine to accept a deal largely on Russian terms, including ceding occupied territory, while Trump denies Russia is continuing the war. The broader strategy aims to normalize US-Russia relations, with potential trilateral talks involving China on nuclear arms control. Analysts note the unprecedented nature of the US penalizing an invasion victim while rewarding the aggressor, with Ukraine's leader admitting survival without US support is unlikely.