Will Trump fall for Putin's feeble 'bluster' about his defeating Ukraine?

The call between Trump and Putin, in which they discussed the fate of Ukraine, and as reported by Lidia Kelly (left), reveals that,

"In an interview aboard Air Force One on Friday Trump said that he had "better not say," when asked how many times the two leaders have spoken." (Reuters: 9 February 2025) (my emphasis)

One can assume that, as in the case of the "private" Helsinki tête-à-tête in 2018 betweeen Trump and Putin, 'no notes were taken'.

As reported by Hannah Golden,

"The meeting between Trump and Putin, which included translators, but no other aides or staffers, went overtime. The Wall Street Journal's Rebecca Ballhaus added that after the 90-minute mark, the two were supposed to be joined by staffers, but had not." (Elite Daily: 16 July 2018) (my emphasis)

Regarding the latest calls between Trump and Putin,  Emma Burrows (left) reports that,

"Putin is closer than ever to achieving his objectives in the battle-weary country, with little incentive to come to the negotiating table, no matter how much U.S. President Donald Trump might cajole or threaten him, according to Russian and Western experts interviewed by The Associated Press.

Both are signaling discussions on Ukraine -– by phone or in person -– using flattery and threats." (AP: 8 February 2025) (my emphasis)

Meanwhile, as John Varga reports (left),

"Ukraine is reported to have wiped out the entire command of Russia's 35th Brigade in a deadly missile strike.
...
The town was captured by the Russians in October last year and lies just 11 miles northwest of the strategically important city of Pokrovsk." (Express: 8 February 2025) (my emphasis)

Express: 8 February 2025

Furthermore, as reported by Nicholas Cecil (left),

"North Korean troops have been withdrawn from the frontline in Vladimir Putin’s Ukraine war, according to British military intelligence chiefs.

Pyongyang is believed to have sent some 11,000 soldiers to help Putin’s army recapture a swathe of the Kursk region of Russia which Ukrainian forces seized in a surprise attack last summer." (Evening Standard on MSN: 8 February 2025) (my emphasis) 

Evening Standard on MSN: 8 February 2025

Eleanor Burleigh (left) also reports that,

"A new wave of battalion assaults on Russia’s Kursk region has given Kyiv fighters a three-mile gain behind enemy lines, according to a report from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW)." (Express: 7 February, 2025) (my emphasis)

Marco Giannangeli (right) now also reveals that,

"Britain will lead backroom talks to discuss arming Ukraine once hostilities with Russia are ended, sources said last night.

It centres on concerns that Russian leader Vladimir Putin will use any ceasefire that may be brokered by US President Donald Trump in coming months to reconstitute his battered armed forces before attempting a third invasion of Ukraine." (Express: 9 February 2025) (my emphasis)

Which, as reported by John Varga, Nicholas Cecil, Eleanor Burleigh, and Marco Giannangeli, rather questions the assertion of Emma Burrows (cf above) that, "Putin is closer than ever to achieving his objectives in the battle-weary country [i.e. Ukraine]"

Putin is, in fact, seeing his "Novorossiya" dreams about Ukraine crumbling on the battlefield and, as reported by Ukraine Today,

 "Russian Economy Paralysed. New Sanctions Have Taken The Last Of Putin's Money!" (Ukraine Today: 6 February 2025: YouTube), 

 also crumbling on the economic front.

Ukraine Today: 6 February 2025

As this extension of, and addition to, EU economic sanctions against Putin come into force, Putin's delusions about achieving his original objectives in Ukraine are fast beginning to evaporate.

All that he now has left is "pure" bluster with which to try and convince Trump to come to his rescue.

The question is :-

"Will Trump fall for Putin's feeble 'bluster' about his defeating Ukraine?" 

                                                                                

        

 

(to be continued)