With President Trump back in office, Vladimir Putin sees an opportunity to break his international isolation and rehabilitate his image as a statesman. What Putin desires most is for Trump to help him reassert his stature on the global stage.

To this end, the Russian leader has been carefully flattering Trump, setting the groundwork for a high-profile meeting that could bolster his position both domestically and abroad.

Speaking on Russian television, Putin said, “I can’t help but agree with [Trump] that if his victory had not been stolen in 2020, then maybe there would not have been the crisis in Ukraine that arose in 2022,” referring to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine that year. Trump has long claimed that the war would have never started under his watch. Putin also referred to Trump as “smart” and “pragmatic” in the middle of an exchange of jabs and ego-stroking.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky responded that Putin was trying to manipulate Trump to achieve his goals. “And in particular, he wants to manipulate the desire of the president of the United States of America to achieve peace. I am confident that no Russian manipulations will succeed anymore,” said Zelensky.

Putin has little choice but to appease Trump. With Russia’s economy........

© The Hill