First there were three years of increasingly stringent sanctions following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, hitting hard at the aggressor’s economic and political standing, pushing them gradually into a corner from which they would only be able to emerge by making concessions to end their so-called “special military operation.”

And it was working . . . until Donald Trump re-entered the White House; began turning our long-time, proven allies against us; and made the first overtures toward a reconciliation with his old pal, Vladimir Putin. . . .

. . . thereby, in a matter of just weeks, knocking the entire world onto its collective ass.

While people throughout the world have been struggling to cope with the fallout from Trump’s insane tariffs, his immigration obsession, his mass firings of the people who actually keep the U.S. government running, and his psychotic revenge actions against everyone who has ever pissed him off throughout his lifetime . . .

. . . while we’ve been too distracted by all of this to pay as much attention as we should to the man in the Kremlin, Trump has managed to bring him out of his corner and back into a position of world power.

And who has been Trump’s most helpful aide in his discussions with Putin? Secretary of State Marco Rubio? Only moderately. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth? I know I heard snickering at that one. (Oh, sorry . . . that was me.)

No, it has been Trump’s envoy to just about everywhere . . . the billionaire with zero experience in foreign affairs, diplomacy, or any branch of government operations: real estate developer Steve Witkoff.

Witkoff claims bragging rights for our having gotten a couple of hostages back from Russia recently, which unquestionably is a very good thing. But if he and Trump believe that it was due to our side’s superior negotiating skills, they are delusional.

Because Vladimir Putin does nothing without a reason, and that reason is always . . . ALWAYS . . . whatever will be of the greatest benefit to him. He is a master of “palace intrigue” — a fact that Donald Trump has never understood or acknowledged, as it would diminish his image of himself as the world’s greatest deal-maker.

There are those with proven expertise who understand, and are alarmed by, the extent to which both Trump and Witkoff are outclassed by Putin. David Kramer, who formerly held a senior position at the State Department during the George W. Bush administration, had this to say about Witkoff:

“The fact that he lacks the context and history of how Russians negotiate and deal with the American side is, I think, a problem. Putin says nice things to him, gives him a portrait of the president, talks about going to church and praying for his friend (Trump). Those are pretty old KGB tactics. And Witkoff, I don’t think, has the awareness to understand what is going on there.” [Ray Furlong, RFE/RL, April 11, 2025.]

According to his biography, Steve Witkoff’s paternal grandparents came to this country from Russia. So did all four of my grandparents . . . but that doesn’t qualify me to negotiate peace terms — or anything else — with Vladimir Putin. The difference is that I know my limitations.

But our government is currently being run by people who don’t even believe they have limitations . . . and that is beyond terrifying.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
4/12/25