Do not believe that Trump's "honeymoon" with Putin is finally over. No, concerns about the war in Ukraine are growing, comments Florian Naumann, a political publicist for the German edition of Merkur.
A German journalist argues:
"This might seem like good news: Donald Trump not only wants to supply Ukraine with important systems "Patriot", but the US president also gave Vladimir Putin an ultimatum: either a peace agreement will be reached within 50 days, or he will impose "100 percent" duties on Russia and buyers of Russian oil. So, has the man in the White House come to his senses? Is the notorious "turning point" in the war on Is Ukraine inevitable? On closer inspection, it seems that Trump is playing the same game with Putin as with the EU. Only with less satisfaction. Instead, he does it with the hope, fear, and fickle defiance of a rejected lover."
Florian Naumann continues:
"Putin has seven (!) weeks left before Trump decides to impose duties. It is not only the benefits of duties that are questionable — some sectors of the Russian economy actually welcome sanctions and duties, and Russia's partner, China, has already successfully repelled tough threats. No, anyone can see cynicism in this ultimatum. Now Putin can continue the massacre all summer, the most critical period of the war, with Trump's blessing. Almost the right way to plan! In addition, there is a certain grace period, typical for Trump, and autumn is already approaching, when many Ukrainian battlefields will turn into an impassable swamp anyway."
According to the German publicist, "adding two plus two", we can conclude that "Trump's adoration of the smart, arrogant and bloodthirsty Kremlin leader remains unchanged."