Trump forgot one very important point: Russia gets a vote too, for better or worse. If Trump thought he was going to be able to sweet-talk Putin into a quick deal, he's sadly mistaken.
Trump said they're very close to a deal, but it sounds like a deal that Ukraine will have to say not only no to, but hell no. And their body language gave it all away. There may have been some progress made, but anyone thinking this is over in the next six months is kidding themselves.

The Soviets were experts at taking advantage of weak American presidents (Carter). Reagan was a master of turning that around. It's disturbing that another American president has decided to take the Carter path even as 2025 Russia is significantly weaker than 1970s Soviet Union. Makes little sense in the abstract.

I'm genuinely curious. In what way has Trump shown weakness in your opinion?

FlyRod said:

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The Soviets were experts at taking advantage of weak American presidents (Carter). Reagan was a master of turning that around. It's disturbing that another American president has decided to take the Carter path even as 2025 Russia is significantly weaker than 1970s Soviet Union. Makes little sense in the abstract.

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If Trump had been president this meeting wouldn't even be necessary and you know it.

FlyRod said:

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The Soviets were experts at taking advantage of weak American presidents (Carter). Reagan was a master of turning that around. It's disturbing that another American president has decided to take the Carter path even as 2025 Russia is significantly weaker than 1970s Soviet Union. Makes little sense in the abstract.

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I too remember the days of Jimmy Carter having a B-52 bomber flown right over the head of the enemy on the way into discuss diplomacy that only the other worst president in history allowed to happen and did nothing about except send my (and maybe yours if you have a job) tax dollars repeatedly to another country of which neither should involve us.

Absolute clown post.

Rockdoc said:

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If Trump had been president this meeting wouldn't even be necessary and you know it.

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trump is president and russian aggression against ukraine has only intensified since he was inaugurated. it's time to dispense with this talking point.

FlyRod said:

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The Soviets were experts at taking advantage of weak American presidents (Carter). Reagan was a master of turning that around. It's disturbing that another American president has decided to take the Carter path even as 2025 Russia is significantly weaker than 1970s Soviet Union. Makes little sense in the abstract.

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I see the talking points are out. Pathetically bad take.

To me it is clear Trump thinks Russia sits at the adult table and Ukraine is at the kids table. It is either because of world status or leadership. To his advantage, he hasn't made the reason public.

I don't agree with his view and I am very curious to see this play out. I am trusting his ability to make a deal right now but I don't see a deal where he wins like he he has on domestic issues.

This leads me to believe he will say Russia doesn't want peace, Once that happens he either helps s Ukraine in a huge way like we did with Israel or says fight it out with Europe's help.

do folks expect Russia to give land back?

This War is going to last well beyond DJT, Putin will NEVER EVER give up Ukraine!!

Old McDonald said:

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Rockdoc said:

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If Trump had been president this meeting wouldn't even be necessary and you know it.

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trump is president and russian aggression against ukraine has only intensified since he was inaugurated. it's time to dispense with this talking point.

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Putin disagrees with you. Putin literally said that had Trump been President, there would not have been a war.

Waffledynamics said:

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Exactly. The only thing Putin understands is power. Beat his military and country into submission.

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With what and who?

Not sending my sons.

W said:

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do folks expect Russia to give land back?

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This. Not happening. That is reality.

Other option - line up your sons to fight for Ukraine. I haven't seen anyone volunteer yet but maybe the board libs are going to do it. LOL.

Quote:

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Other option - line up your sons to fight for Ukraine. I haven't seen anyone volunteer yet but maybe the board libs are going to do it. LOL.

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I know you think this is a cute thing to say, but it's really disingenuous. Moreso given the attitude of this board was when the US invaded a sovereign nation unilaterally over WMD that didn't exist and destabilized the entire Middle East.

One doesn't have to go fight in Ukraine to support them, but if that is your thinking, maybe you shouldn't have an opinion about foreign policy matters unless you served in the military-it works both ways.

Trump is trying to broker a deal like a business man without understanding what this war is about, so he will continually fail at it. This war isn't being fought over resources, it's being fought over national pride and history. He keeps trying to negotiate with a former KGB agent trying to restore what he sees as the Soviet sphere of influence and Putin uses Trump like a useful idiot-stroking his ego to get everything he wants.

Urban Ag said:

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W said:

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do folks expect Russia to give land back?

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This. Not happening. That is reality.

Other option - line up your sons to fight for Ukraine. I haven't seen anyone volunteer yet but maybe the board libs are going to do it. LOL.

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Straw man 101

halfastros81 said:

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I'm genuinely curious. In what way has Trump shown weakness in your opinion?

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I will take a stab at his opinion.

Anything Trump did that did not result with Putin saying he would stop….would be attributed to any made up up of after the fact conjecture. Had he succeeded, the explanation was he gave the Ukrainian farm away away.

There was never any intentions for this guy to credit Trump for anything.

The key statements after the summit were made by Putin, not Trump, and he is sounding the right notes imho:

Quote:

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One moment stood out, however: when Putin agreed with one of Trump's long-term claimsnamely, that the Russo-Ukraine war never would have happened if Donald Trump had been the U.S. president instead of the hapless, ineffective Joe Biden.

Quote:

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"In the end, I would like to add one more thing. I'd like to remind you that in 2022, during the last contact with the previous administration, I tried to convince my previous American colleague...that the situation should not be brought to the point of no return when it would come to hostilities.

"I said it quite directly back then that it's a big mistake," Putin added. "Today when President Trump [said] that if he was the president back then, there would be no war. And I'm quite sure that it would indeed be so, I can confirm that. I think that overall, me and President Trump have built a very good businesslike and trustworthy contact. And I have every reason to believe that moving down this path we can come...the sooner the better, to the end of the conflict in Ukraine."

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Now, what were the '1 or 2 key points' that didn't get resolved yet to create a ceasefire? I don't know. Trump and Moscow media seem to have decided the onus is on Zelensky to 'make the deal' now. IMHO, that is a problem because he is so erratic/ineffective as a negotiator, and frankly doesn't strike me as interested in getting there.

He said he is going to Washington DC again, on monday, and seemed to brag about talking with Trump for an hour on the phone. That trip would be stupid, although I am sure he would enjoy sitting down with the democrats again.

"Now everything depends on Zelensky, and Europe must participate," this phrase from Trump indicates that his ultimatum to the Ukrainian side has been announced and has come into effect. If Zelensky accepts the conditions, a ceasefire will be declared, and Putin will fulfill his… https://t.co/7pfjPexytd

— -- GEROMAN -- time will tell - 👀 -- (@GeromanAT) August 16, 2025

It's also stupid/irrelevant to demand Starmer/Macron be 'involved.' They are utterly powerless to do anything other than run their mouths and send money. But, those two traits probably explain his reasoning.

Тривала, змістовна розмова з Президентом Трампом спочатку один на один, а потім також за участі європейських лідерів. Загалом говорили більш ніж півтори години, приблизно годину – з Президентом Трампом.

Україна знову підтверджує, що готова працювати максимально продуктивно…

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) August 16, 2025

BusterAg said:

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Old McDonald said:

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Rockdoc said:

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If Trump had been president this meeting wouldn't even be necessary and you know it.

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trump is president and russian aggression against ukraine has only intensified since he was inaugurated. it's time to dispense with this talking point.

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Putin disagrees with you. Putin literally said that had Trump been President, there would not have been a war.

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And we're supposed to believe him? That's just a case of Putin buttering Trump's ass. If it were actually true, this war would have been over on 1/20/2025.

johnnyblaze36 said:

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FlyRod said:

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The Soviets were experts at taking advantage of weak American presidents (Carter). Reagan was a master of turning that around. It's disturbing that another American president has decided to take the Carter path even as 2025 Russia is significantly weaker than 1970s Soviet Union. Makes little sense in the abstract.

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I too remember the days of Jimmy Carter having a B-52 bomber flown right over the head of the enemy on the way into discuss diplomacy that only the other worst president in history allowed to happen and did nothing about except send my (and maybe yours if you have a job) tax dollars repeatedly to another country of which neither should involve us.

Absolute clown post.

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I'm sure Putin was quaking in his loafers getting buzzed by aircraft he knows will never be used against him.

HTownAg98 said:

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johnnyblaze36 said:

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FlyRod said:

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The Soviets were experts at taking advantage of weak American presidents (Carter). Reagan was a master of turning that around. It's disturbing that another American president has decided to take the Carter path even as 2025 Russia is significantly weaker than 1970s Soviet Union. Makes little sense in the abstract.

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I too remember the days of Jimmy Carter having a B-52 bomber flown right over the head of the enemy on the way into discuss diplomacy that only the other worst president in history allowed to happen and did nothing about except send my (and maybe yours if you have a job) tax dollars repeatedly to another country of which neither should involve us.

Absolute clown post.

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I'm sure Putin was quaking in his loafers getting buzzed by aircraft he knows will never be used against him.

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Exactly..Why are there multiple individuals here that don't have the intellect to understand that?

txwxman said:

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Urban Ag said:

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W said:

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do folks expect Russia to give land back?

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This. Not happening. That is reality.

Other option - line up your sons to fight for Ukraine. I haven't seen anyone volunteer yet but maybe the board libs are going to do it. LOL.

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Straw man 101

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That's not a strawman.

It makes me proud to be an American when our president rolls out a literal red carpet for a revanchist, murderous dictator who invaded a sovereign democracy. Wild times.

Next big meeting scheduled. Progress!

A great and very successful day in Alaska! The meeting with President Vladimir Putin of Russia went very well, as did a late night phone call with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine, and various European Leaders, including the highly respected Secretary General of NATO. It was…

— Trump Truth Social Posts On X (@TrumpTruthOnX) August 16, 2025

BusterAg said:

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Old McDonald said:

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Rockdoc said:

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If Trump had been president this meeting wouldn't even be necessary and you know it.

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trump is president and russian aggression against ukraine has only intensified since he was inaugurated. it's time to dispense with this talking point.

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Putin disagrees with you. Putin literally said that had Trump been President, there would not have been a war.

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if anyone can tell me one single detail of what was discussed in this meeting I'd love to hear it.

it's insane that both sides on this board are claiming victory for the meeting when nobody knows a single detail that was discussed.

BusterAg said:

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Putin disagrees with you. Putin literally said that had Trump been President, there would not have been a war.

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putin is full of **** and always has been

FlyRod said:

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The Soviets were experts at taking advantage of weak American presidents (Carter). Reagan was a master of turning that around. It's disturbing that another American president has decided to take the Carter path even as 2025 Russia is significantly weaker than 1970s Soviet Union. Makes little sense in the abstract.

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They should have sent your Boy Pete Butt to solve this while Xiden was cleaning his diaper. In Abstract.

We had a long and substantive conversation with @POTUS. We started with one-on-one talks before inviting European leaders to join us. This call lasted for more than an hour and a half, including about an hour of our bilateral conversation with President Trump.

Ukraine reaffirms… pic.twitter.com/64IPVhtFaB

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) August 16, 2025

Liberals are so pathetically stupid. Process oriented over goal oriented in everything they do. "Trump got steamrolled cuz he was diplomatic and friendly". What would you have had him do? Spit in Putin's face? Have him assassinated? What is the ultimate goal here? To be mean to Putin in a meeting or to broker peace? So unbelievably stupid and just shows why every time your side is in power, the world turns to absolute *****

DukeMu said:

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74OA said:

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So both Trump and Putin have now returned home? No second meeting?

What was accomplished other than giving Putin a helping hand out of his global political isolation?

Is Trump now going to implement the grave consequences he promised if there was no ceasefire?

What was this all about other than another distraction so Putin can keep stalling and killing?

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I'm physically ill letting this War Criminal and enemy on American soil...hell, a red carpet.

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The red carpet was completely uncalled for. That meeting should have been behind closed doors without all the hoopla.

Obligatory "NPR lol" but interesting details here.

https://www.npr.org/2025/08/16/nx-s1-5504196/trump-putin-summit-documents-left-behind

Old McDonald said:

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BusterAg said:

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Putin disagrees with you. Putin literally said that had Trump been President, there would not have been a war.

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putin is full of **** and always has been

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Yep. As evidenced by the fact that his continued shelling of Ukrainian civilians and apartment buildings has gotten worse, not better with Trump in office.

TresPuertas said:

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if anyone can tell me one single detail of what was discussed in this meeting I'd love to hear it.

it's insane that both sides on this board are claiming victory for the meeting when nobody knows a single detail that was discussed.

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Exactly where I'm at…

All I see is at least evidence of progress…

Meeting happened…
Trump didn't storm out…
Trump has (seemingly) positive calls with Z and NATO leadership after leaving Alaska (confirmed by both sides of those calls)…
Z headed to DC to meet with Trump Monday afternoon…

I don't think this issue is resolved by any means, but it sure feels like it might be a couple of steps down the right path…

Could all blow up…still a long way to go…but the fact that all sides are chatting should at least indicate that some progress has been made…

We are going to have to see how the next week goes…if we get a trilateral meeting scheduled, that too will be progress…but even then, it could all still blow up…

But to claim yesterday was an utter failure or resounding success are bridges too far…yesterday, by all accounts, was at least a step in the right direction…

Same here. I see obvious progress. And more progress could be made on Monday. We just don't know yet where this will end.

I suspect Trump gets a deal done between them.

W said:

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do folks expect Russia to give land back?

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Do you think the aggressor that started this **** and can't finish it should be able to keep everything?