Trump refuses to admit Putin’s manipulation amid 'encirclement in Kursk'

There’s a simple explanation: because it’s Trump. That’s all. It explains everything. No need to look for a black cat in a dark room; sometimes, a banana is just a banana.

But what if you look for it? If we look for logic in the actions of the U.S. president again?

First: Trump believed Putin, who told it to his real estate developer friend, who had been marinated for 8 hours of waiting and was already ready to believe anything. Even Yanukovych seemed to wait less. But he should say "thank you" that Putin came without a dog or Lukashenko. Though, that’s not even a certainty…

This is both good and bad at the same time. Bad, because Trump believes Putin. At face value. In any nonsense. Why is this scenario good? Well, because it doesn’t involve any treachery or cunning plan. Why it’s bad, no explanation needed. Although, when your top intelligence official is Tulsi, there’s nothing good to expect from that side.

Second: Trump doesn't believe in this nonsense, but he says it. Why does he do it?

Perhaps this is a reaction to the American public's response, which is now openly suspicious of Trump's closeness with Putin. He needs to show that he’s also helping Ukraine. After all, he saved tens of thousands of soldiers. What better way to earn a Nobel Prize nomination?

Or perhaps Trump fully understands that Putin played him. With that “I agree to a ceasefire, but...” Because even Trump knows that everything before the “but” doesn’t count. And let’s not forget that Putin and Xi together supported Iran against Trump. Quite telling, especially in the context of trying to tear Russia away from China.

But Trump cannot admit that he has been played. Fake it till you make it is a very American cultural paradigm. It’s strange for us, but "okay" for Americans. So, on Monday, he, Trump, will save tens of thousands of soldiers and show that progress is happening. That’s why sanctions against Russia are quietly being strengthened because to announce it means to admit the reason, to admit that the Kremlin has you for a fool.

It would be bad if, after saving virtual thousands of Ukrainian soldiers, Trump turns back to pressuring Ukraine, advancing, so to speak, the negotiation positions. Demanding further concessions. To satisfy Putin. To save Trump's own ego and his Nobel Prize. Maybe even secure all those shady deals that Western media is writing about now, where some middlemen are rubbing elbows with Russians, and it’s unclear if they have a mandate or if it’s just the standard middleman business tactic.

But all of this is just fantasy. And sometimes, a banana is just a banana.

*Published with the author's style preserved

Source

About the author. Serhiy Fursa, investment expert, blogger.

The editorial team does not always share the opinions expressed by blog or column authors.