Putin is testing Trump – journalist Portnykov

He shared this opinion on Espreso TV.

"Putin is taking a typical Chekist approach to figure out the red lines of the new U.S. administration. How far can he go before Trump, if not angry, at least gets worried? And he is testing it. They spoke, Putin refused him again but fed him some vague story about an energy truce. Trump swallowed it and didn’t push back. On the contrary, Trump now defends this idea. Yet earlier, he said that if someone refused a ceasefire, Ukraine would get weapons, proving that the U.S. would continue supporting Kyiv. But Putin didn’t agree, and now no one is arming anyone, while they're not making new demands to Russia. Moreover. Russia has intensified its shelling. Putin is waiting for Trump’s reaction. When journalists asked Trump about additional sanctions in response to these attacks, he simply said the parties are fighting, so there is shelling. This is how Putin is testing Trump," Portnykov explained.

The journalist stressed that only the threat of new sanctions and U.S. pressure can stop Putin from escalating further.

"Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova claims Ukraine is striking Russian residential areas and that Russia has the right to respond asymmetrically. A completely cynical statement. I’d like to ask — what about the strikes on Kropyvnytskyi, Odesa, Zaporizhzhia? Is that an answer or not? I see this as a blatant display of Putin’s capabilities. And he will push exactly as far as Trump lets him. The moment Trump signals dissatisfaction and hints at tougher sanctions against Russia, Putin will stop with what he's already achieved. That’s his strategy," Portnykov added.

• Earlier, an aide to the Russian dictator, Yuri Ushakov, announced that Russian and U.S. delegations would hold talks in Riyadh on Monday, March 24.
• Shortly after, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed a meeting between Ukrainian and American technical teams in Saudi Arabia on the same date.
• Meanwhile, U.S. Special Representative Keith Kellogg stated that Washington planned separate meetings with Ukrainian and Russian representatives in Saudi Arabia, aiming to facilitate indirect negotiations.
• On March 21, Foreign Ministry spokesman Heorhiy Tykhyi confirmed that the Ukrainian delegation would meet with the American delegation in Saudi Arabia but ruled out any negotiations with Russia.