What hold does Putin have over Trump?

Yesterday, as reported by Dan Merica (left),

" ... When Petro Poroshenko visited the White House on Tuesday, the Ukrainian President wasn't greeted by the traditional pomp and circumstance that comes with a foreign leader meeting with the president of the United States." (CNN : 20 June, 2017) (my emphasis)

Dan Merica goes on to report that,

" ... Poroshenko's treatment is noteworthy given Trump's tendency to roll out the red carpet for almost all foreign leaders who visit the White House -- even those from small countries with few pressing issues in the United States." (ibid Dan Merica) (my emphasis)

Perhaps even more significant, as reported by Shaun Walker (right),

" ...Trump said Ukraine was “a place that we’ve all been very much involved in; we’ve been seeing it and everyone’s been reading about it”, but did not condemn Russian aggression against Ukraine, something he has never done." (The Guardian : 20 June, 2017) (my emphasis)

And if this were not enough, Trump's nominee for US Deputy Defence Secretary, Boing executive Pat Shanahan, displayed a dangerous ignorance about the situation in Ukraine during his confirmation hearing.

As reported by Travis Tritten,

" .. Sen. John McCain (left) on Tuesday threatened to block President Trump's deputy defense secretary nominee during a tense exchange over providing weapons to Ukraine.

McCain took issue with Boeing executive Pat Shanahan's written response to the Senate Armed Services Committee that he would need to take a look at equipping Ukrainian allies with lethal arms, something McCain has long advocated.

The chairman hammered Shanahan with pointed questions over his time at Boeing and whether he did his homework on the Ukraine question during the opening minutes of what was expected to be a smooth confirmation hearing." (Washington Examiner : June 20, 2017) (me emphasis)

What we therefore have is the following :-

• Yesterday (20 June, 2017) Trump did NOT condemn Putin for his illegal annexation of Ukrainian Crimea, and his ongoing war with Ukraine in the Donbas, during yesterday's joint press release with President Poroshenko of Ukraine
• Trump's nominee for US Deputy Defence Secretary not only displayed woeful ignorance about Putin's war with Ukraine but, more significantly, stated that, "he would need to take a look at equipping Ukrainian allies with lethal arms"

Which once again raises the issue of Trump's reluctance to condemn Putin's illegal annexation of Ukrainian Crimea, as well as his ongoing war with Ukraine in the Donbas.

What hold does Putin have over Trump that seems to demand of Trump that he dare not critisize what Putin has done, and is still doing, in Ukraine?

(to be continued)