The Putin Trump Summit: A Triumph For Putin, A Disaster For The Neocons.
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The Putin Trump Summit: A Triumph For Putin, A Disaster For The Neocons.
If you were watching the US news channels [I put that word in italics to emphasize sarcasm], the buildup to the press conference was the equivalent of a virgin waiting for his first sexual experience. Man, what a letdown, after hours of frenzied anticipation, when Putin and Trump finally spoke. I chose to watch Fox News, and was not disappointed by the froth, fury and falsehoods voiced by an array of knuckleheads, which included General Jack Keane and Trey Gowdy. Before Trump and Putin appeared before the assembled press, the commentators repeatedly trashed Putin as a monster, a killer, an evil authoritarian and a baby killer. And their insults were echoed by many of the so-called journalists and anchors. It was pathetic.
Everyone who spoke on the Fox News coverage also regurgitated the propaganda that Putin was in a desperate situation; that the Russian economy is nearing collapse; and that the Russian military is failing to vanquish the plucky Ukrainians. My wife thought I was having a stroke because I was yelling at the TV in response to this stupidity.
When Putin stepped to the microphone and began to speak, the neocon world imploded. Instead of a chastened Putin begging Trump for relief, the Russian President spoke calmly, initially focusing on the historical importance of Alaska as an air bridge that provided Russia with essential supplies during World War II. Throughout his remarks, Putin praised Trump for being a reliable negotiator and for putting in place a dialogue that brings a promise of normalized relations. Putin did not retreat from a single position he had previously presented regarding Russia’s requirements to bring an end to the war in Ukraine. He reiterated that the heart of the matter is root causes, i.e., NATO’s expansion to the east.
Trump drove the silver spike through the heart of the neocon vampires, who were salivating in anticipation of hearing that Trump had forced Putin to accept a ceasefire, because Putin, at least in their delusional world, was desperate for a deal. Nope. Trump praised Putin and said that their conversations had been productive, though some issues remain unresolved.
Here’s a sampling of the disappointed reaction from the print media propagandists:
Aug. 15, 2025, 7:12 p.m. ET1 hour ago
David E. Sanger
Reporting from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson
After three hours of talks, President Trump and President Vladimir Putin of Russia told reporters that they had made progress on unspecified issues, but they gave no details, took no questions, and most importantly failed to announce a cease-fire of any kind.
Aug. 15, 2025, 7:11 p.m. ET1 hour ago
Katie Rogers
Traveling with President TrumpBoth men referred to an agreement and didn’t detail it. Trump ignored shouted questions about what just happened and what the agreement was. Those of us traveling with him have just been scooted out toward Air Force One. This was a long way to come. Trump pulled out the red-carpet stops, and he is going home empty-handed.
Aug. 15, 2025, 7:10 p.m. ET1 hour ago
Maggie Haberman
White House reporterPutin has come away from the meeting with some wins. He has gotten a visit to the United States — on a military base, no less — and visuals of a warm greeting from Trump, along with yet another delay on secondary sanctions against Russia.
Aug. 15, 2025, 7:07 p.m. ET1 hour ago
Erica L. Green
White House reporterWhile it’s not clear what, if any, agreements were made, Putin is demonstrating that he is still not backing down from his position that no matter what Trump says, he’s pursuing his own goals in the war. He said while Trump, who has emphasized the economic benefits to Russia stopping its invasion, is interested in the prosperity of America, Trump also understands that “Russia has its own national interests. That has included seizing land from Ukraine.
Aug. 15, 2025, 7:03 p.m. ET1 hour ago
Anatoly Kurmanaev
As Putin talks about the need to eliminate “root causes” of the war in Ukraine, he is using his usual shorthand for a list of demands that have been categorically rejected by Ukraine and Europe. This suggest he is maintaining his hardline position.
Aug. 15, 2025, 8:09 p.m. ET6 minutes ago
Constant Méheut
Reporting from Kyiv, UkraineWe’re now waiting to hear from Zelensky and other European leaders, whom Trump said he would call to brief them on his meeting with Putin. But the inconclusive nature of the meeting suggests to some in Ukraine that a peace deal remains highly unlikely. “It seems Putin has bought himself more time,” Oleksiy Honcharenko, a Ukrainian lawmaker wrote on social media. “No cease-fire or any kind of de-escalation has been agreed upon.”
Simply hilarious getting to watch the press squirm and spin. The sad fact is that the Western establishment is so infected with an intense hatred of Putin and Russia that they are incapable of actually listening to what Putin said. Kelly Anne Conway, for example, disgraced herself by ridiculing President Putin for mentioning the importance of Orthodox Christianity as part of Russian culture.
The next meeting, if there is one, will be in Moscow… probably in late September or early October. I anticipate that the weekend news cycle will be consumed with howls of outrage from most of the European leaders and from Zelensky and his crew. This is nothing more than impotence-fueled frustration.
Here is only 50% of the podcasts I did today, with most of the commentary focused on what to expect from the summit. I also am including a chat I had on Wednesday with the Expat American — a Floridian who emigrated to Russia, where he now lives with his family:
