Did Trump get rolled in Alaska?

OPINION:

Promising severe consequences if Russian President Vladimir Putin didn’t agree to a ceasefire with Ukraine and then apparently reversing himself sends a signal of weakness not only to Mr. Putin but also to the world.

On Saturday, President Trump posted this on Truth Social: “It was determined by all that the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a peace agreement, which would end the war, and not a mere Ceasefire Agreement, which often times do not hold up.”

Given Mr. Putin’s track record of lies, he is unlikely to uphold another agreement (see below).

Fox News reported Sunday that “Trump supports Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s proposal for Moscow to take full control of the Donbas region and freeze the front lines elsewhere for an agreement with Ukraine, a European diplomat confirmed to Fox News. Donbas had a prewar population of around 6.5 million, including the Luhansk and Donetsk regions.

“After meeting with Putin on Friday in Alaska, Trump told European allies that the Russian president reiterated that he wants the key Luhansk and Donetsk regions, but that he appeared open to the possibility of ending the stalemate in Zaporizhzhia and Kherson along with a freeze along the front lines.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had rejected the idea of surrendering the territory in the Donbas.

If Mr. Trump succumbs to Mr. Putin’s position, even partially, and asks Mr. Zelenskyy to give up some territory, many (including Mr. Putin) would see this as capitulation and an encouragement to Mr. Putin to finish the job in Ukraine and eventually try to claim the former Soviet republics.

Extreme sanctions, including secondary sanctions on countries that buy oil from Russia, appear to be off the table. Don’t look for Hillary Clinton to nominate Mr. Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, as she cheekily told podcaster Jessica Tarlov she might do if Mr. Trump concluded a favorable peace deal. Unless it somehow miraculously happens.

Effective responses might have included selling U.S. arms to NATO, which Mr. Trump once suggested, so that NATO could ship them into Ukraine and the U.S. would not be footing the bill.

Mr. Putin is about as unreliable a partner as some celebrity marriages. Anyone who believes he will honor any agreement he might sign to pause or stop the war he started hasn’t been paying attention.

A Ukrainian government webpage sums up what Ukraine and others have had to endure from Russia: “Russia’s modern history is built on a foundation of lies and broken promises about peace. It’s a long list of violated treaties, fake ceasefires, and deceptive guarantees of ‘friendly relations.’ … For every act of military aggression that Russia has committed in the last 30 years, there is a corresponding Russian lie about peace talks, peacekeeping, or negotiations. The Russian invasion of Georgia resulted in a so-called peace settlement that threatens Georgia’s borders to this day. Russia’s fake ‘peacekeeping’ mission in Moldova turned an entire region of the country into an isolated island with no prospects. The peace agreement promised by Moscow to Ichkeria (known as Chechnya in Russian sources) ended with 50,000 to 80,000 people dead under brutal shelling. The complete list of horrific consequences of ‘Russian peace’ could fill an entire book.”

A deal that involves Ukraine ceding land to Mr. Putin is likely to be rejected by Mr. Zelenskyy, who would see it as a surrender.

President Reagan used to say when dealing with Soviet leaders: “Trust but verify.” The attitude of Messrs. Trump and Zelenskyy toward Mr. Putin should be “Don’t trust, and consider sanctions” if a peace deal can’t be reached.

• Readers may email Cal Thomas at tcaeditors@tribpub.com. Look for Cal Thomas’ latest book, “A Watchman in the Night: What I’ve Seen Over 50 Years Reporting on America” (Humanix Books).