Thank goodness, his inner circle is of such unbelievably high quality, also! If it was pretty much only Trump, as it was the first time around, he wouldn't be able to progress at all.
That said, time is not on Trump's side with respect to disengaging with Ukraine. I believe he is being out maneuvered on Ukraine on all fronts. And I think he is getting frustrated trying to reach "The Art of the Deal" with all the complications such as “mineral resources”, pride, and "only-human" limitations. He is talking on camera too much, and his growing frustration is showing.
I know there is a wide range of opinions on this board about the whole "Ukraine" and "Russia" topic. But think full-board chess and tell me how this can be played? Chess champions know when to concede in some games. I think Trump needs to just cut the Gordian knot, give a firm near-term deadline for REACHING a (relative) win-win-win compromise, and WALK AWAY FROM UKRAINE with no looking back. No funds. No more weapons nor logistics support. No nothing. Let it collapse ASAP.
Ukraine is toxic, as I warned on this board several years go. If you've never been there you have no idea how toxic a "culture" it is: cheating, lying, stealing, killing, and (most of all) double-dealing IS the heart of Ukranian reality...as I experienced for myself back in 2008.
Zelensky is playing him. Nearly all EU politicians are playing him. US Neo-Cons still surround him, including Rubio and dozens, if not hundreds, of others. Almost certainly China is playing him, secretly hoping the US gets stuck in the Ukraine mud.
And, yeah, maybe Putin is playing him -- although I don't see how Putin could do much better than all the cards he already holds...and there is no sensible way to force him to disgorge, since he has already turned Russia into an Autarky, with a vast network of eager customers for Russian natural resources. This is not a real estate deal -- Trump's vast real estate negotiating experience is NOT adequate to the task.
Anyway, the US is facing severe existential crisis over the next 5-10 years. And Trump needs to walk away from Ukraine -- taking away ALL further support for Ukraine. He...and We...need to conserve limited resources and life energy to execute the other elements of the plan.
Trump didn't make the Ukraine crisis -- he inherited it; He shouldn't own it now. He made a mistake in trying this hard to negotiate a solution. Yeah, it was worth a try...but it clearly isn't going to come together...too many other parties who want this to remain a quagmire for Trump, for the US, and for humanity. A Waterloo for us all.
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