Trump Tiptoes Around Putin as Ceasefire Talks Loom

Donald Trump’s criticism of Russian President Vladimir Putin and his statements of support for Ukraine are nothing more than short-term tactical moves, according to a report by CNN. The network concludes that these gestures do not signal the start of a new long-term strategy in U.S. foreign policy. Over the past decade, Trump has made a point of appearing unpredictable on the global stage — call it the "madman theory" or something else. Even his harsh rhetoric aimed at Putin does not suggest that he is exerting real pressure on the Russian leader. Journalists at CNN argue that Trump’s latest public remarks should be seen as an attempt to apply temporary pressure on Putin rather than a decisive shift in American policy. One example cited is the White House’s lukewarm reaction to a bill introduced by Republican Senator Lindsey Graham — listed by Russia’s financial monitoring agency as an extremist — proposing a 500% tariff on Russian oil and uranium. Trump has only pledged to “consider” it, not support it outright.