Have Aides and Negotiators Boxed Putin In?

The Putin-Witkoff meeting has created false optimism.  It is Russian aides and negotiators who are creating it.  Are they boxing in Putin?

Paul Craig Roberts

Yury Ushakov, described as a “Kremlin aide,” said Russia has received an “acceptable” offer from Washington.  So Ushakov speaks for Putin?  Ushakov said that the “business-like and constructive” meeting could result in Russian-American ties developing “according to a completely different, mutually beneficial scenario.”  Is this the language of an Atlanticist-Integrationist setting up Putin for either giving in or being blamed for “the failure of peace?”

Another big-mouthed Russian, “negotiator Kirill Dmitriev,” declares  the Putin-Trump meeting “a historic meeting in which dialogue will prevail.”  What kind of “negotiator” makes such an irresponsible statement?

The question that must be asked is:  What is the point of the meeting?  Putin wants a mutual security agreement and NATO off Russia’s borders.  Washington’s doctrine of US hegemony, recently expressed by Trump — “I rule America and the world” — and the US military/security complex’s need for a Russian adversary for its budget and power preclude any such agreement.  So what does Putin think the point is of the meeting?  Is Putin going to surrender?  Does Putin realize that non-agreement with Trump will just anger Trump?  Is Putin still delusional as he was with the Minsk agreement? Have Kremlin aides and negotiators set Putin up?

Putin should read A.J.P. Taylor’s The Origins of the Second World War.  Negotiations were the road to war.