The main event this week was supposed to be a Russia-Ukraine peace summit in Turkey. Putin called for it. Zelensky agreed. Trump hinted he might even show up. But as we’re recording the show, the latest news is that Putin is skipping out on Thursday’s planned talks. Predictably, this has soured the entire process. European leaders already doubted the sincerity of the summit. Putin’s absence just confirmed what they suspected: Moscow isn’t serious about peace.
For Trump, this is personal. He wants to end the war. He believes he brought Zelensky to the table. But now, with Putin jerking him around, Trump faces a choice: Escalate pressure on Russia with new sanctions, or risk looking weak. Historically, Trump hasn’t favored escalating conflicts. His instinct is to de-escalate, cut deals, and declare victory. But every day Putin stalls, Trump’s leverage diminishes. If Putin thinks he can wait Trump out, this whole strategy falls apart.
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