Trump's logic of deal-making versus Putin's logic of war-making

The discrepancy between Putin’s belief in victory within his grasp and Trump’s desire to stop the senseless war is only growing wider in the course of their preliminary contacts, and Zelensky is far from keen to help to bridge this gap. Trump clearly needs a stronger hand in the forthcoming talks, but building the position of power is a complex task that requires coordination with many allies – and skills in driving a hard bargain cannot compensate for curtailed preparations.