Vladimir Putin isn’t negotiating with Donald Trump – he’s laughing at him

Donald Trump might believe that he knows the Art of the Deal, but Vladimir Putin knows better.

That’s why he is laughing at the US President – but there’s nothing funny about it, because Ukraine is paying the price.

This week, when Trump eagerly awaited a call from the Russian leader, Putin made him wait over an hour while he enjoyed an event in Moscow. This wasn’t a scheduling mix-up or a simple delay – it was a calculated display of power.

And when the call finally happened, despite what Trump had previously claimed, Putin didn’t budge on ending the war. Quelle surprise.

Putin had, according to a US readout, told Trump he would stop attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure. But there is no sign he was telling the truth.

And why would he? Putin is not here to negotiate. He’s not interested in peace. He’s here to win. And winning means flattening Ukraine until they concede to his unreasonable demands, ceding land and authority.

Trump, after the call, praised Putin as ‘very solid, very strong.’

He has since spoken to Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy, but neglected to give details on a peace deal, claiming in an uncharacteristically muted statement that ‘we are very much on track’.

This was not the statement Trump expected to make.

For him, this was supposed to be a triumphant moment. He spent last year’s campaign trail claiming he’d end the war in 24 hours if only we gave him the chance.

Like all of Trump’s grand promises, it was questionable whether it was true, and he now even claims he was being ‘a little bit sarcastic’ when he made that pledge.

Far from getting the President of Russia to agree to a peace deal, he couldn’t even get Putin to pick up the phone on time.

Worse still, Russia’s refusal to engage in meaningful ceasefire talks exposes the lie at the heart of Trump’s ‘peace plan.’

Russia doesn’t want one.

Putin’s delay is a calculated humiliation, a public display of the power imbalance. In the world of fragile male ego politics, punctuality is a signal of dominance.

Trump tries to act like he’s a master negotiator, but Putin treats him like a hapless contestant on a Russian version of The Apprentice. He’s not testing Trump’s resolve – he’s denying its existence and toying with the supposed ‘most powerful man in the world’.

Putin’s rejection of a ceasefire isn’t about strategy – it’s about survival. Keeping the war going fuels American right-wing anger towards Ukraine, weakens Western unity, and isolates the US from its allies.

The longer this drags out, the better it is for Russia.

Even more telling is what Putin is demanding as a condition for any truce: a complete halt to all weapons deliveries and military aid to Ukraine.

European leaders see this for what it is – a trap. If Ukraine is left defenceless while Russia rearms, any ceasefire would be a countdown to another invasion.

For all the bluster and grandstanding, this basic fact remains: Ukraine has agreed to a ceasefire. Russia has not. And no amount of Trump boasting about ‘solid’ phone calls will change that.

Fewer than 60 days in and Trump’s second term is an unconditional failure.

Domestically, the economy is in freefall, food prices are skyrocketing beyond recognition, and unemployment is going up amid fears of a recession.

Internationally, his ‘epic’ Israel-Gaza ceasefire has collapsed, his slashing of aid has already resulted in suspected deaths and he has made no progress on Ukraine.

Instead, Trump has strengthened Russia and punished Zelenskyy at every turn.

Seeking financial compensation for US aid, Trump turned to the victim, not the aggressor.

Seeking diplomatic advice, he called on the Kremlin, rather than European allies.

Seeking the terms of a peace deal, he met with Putin, not Zelenskyy.

Meanwhile, this morning, Russian state-controlled media is claiming Putin got the better of Trump, humiliated Europe and ‘detoxified’ his country’s image.

And yet, none of this means anything to the women and children suffering under the bombing organised by Putin last night – on the very day he claimed he was committed to peace.

The UK and our European allies know what’s at stake. As we scramble to fix Trump’s mess, Putin is watching it all, calculating his next moves.

As he does, one thing is clear: he’s not negotiating with Trump – he’s laughing at him.

As tempting as it is to revel in the President’s misfortune, it’s not Trump paying the ultimate price.

It’s Ukraine’s brave soldiers. And her innocent civilians.

Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing jess.austin@metro.co.uk. 

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