Charles Maines

You know, as to Russia's reaction, the Kremlin only said it welcomed American negotiation efforts, which, by the way, pick up again this week when White House envoy Steve Witkoff heads to Moscow.

Well, Trump seems to say he wants peace now, and he clearly sees leverage over Kyiv as the quickest way to get there. I recently met with Sergei Plurtaev. He's the founder of a political and security platform, VATFOR, in Russia. And he argues Trump isn't offering Moscow concessions, rather acknowledging the facts on the ground. Let's listen.

Well, Trump seems to say he wants peace now, and he clearly sees leverage over Kyiv as the quickest way to get there. I recently met with Sergei Plurtaev. He's the founder of a political and security platform, VATFOR, in Russia. And he argues Trump isn't offering Moscow concessions, rather acknowledging the facts on the ground. Let's listen.

Well, Trump seems to say he wants peace now, and he clearly sees leverage over Kyiv as the quickest way to get there. I recently met with Sergei Plurtaev. He's the founder of a political and security platform, VATFOR, in Russia. And he argues Trump isn't offering Moscow concessions, rather acknowledging the facts on the ground. Let's listen.

So here, Polovtaev says this is what Russia secured to battle, what it gained by force, not anything Trump, quote, gave us. And Polovtaev, I think, reflects a common view here in Russia that there's not a whole lot Trump can do to change the current battlefield dynamics unless Trump is willing to get more involved in Ukraine.

So here, Polovtaev says this is what Russia secured to battle, what it gained by force, not anything Trump, quote, gave us. And Polovtaev, I think, reflects a common view here in Russia that there's not a whole lot Trump can do to change the current battlefield dynamics unless Trump is willing to get more involved in Ukraine.

So here, Polovtaev says this is what Russia secured to battle, what it gained by force, not anything Trump, quote, gave us. And Polovtaev, I think, reflects a common view here in Russia that there's not a whole lot Trump can do to change the current battlefield dynamics unless Trump is willing to get more involved in Ukraine.

And based on everything he's done and said, that looks very, very unlikely.

And based on everything he's done and said, that looks very, very unlikely.

And based on everything he's done and said, that looks very, very unlikely.

Not entirely, because in Moscow's eyes, Trump can deliver some things quicker through diplomacy than Moscow can achieve militarily, which is why I think you see Putin offering proposals like this recent Easter Day ceasefire or possible direct talks with Ukraine to stop attacks on civilians. You know, is that real progress? Probably most would say no.

Not entirely, because in Moscow's eyes, Trump can deliver some things quicker through diplomacy than Moscow can achieve militarily, which is why I think you see Putin offering proposals like this recent Easter Day ceasefire or possible direct talks with Ukraine to stop attacks on civilians. You know, is that real progress? Probably most would say no.

Not entirely, because in Moscow's eyes, Trump can deliver some things quicker through diplomacy than Moscow can achieve militarily, which is why I think you see Putin offering proposals like this recent Easter Day ceasefire or possible direct talks with Ukraine to stop attacks on civilians. You know, is that real progress? Probably most would say no.

But Russia's continuance attacks and also it's shown almost no flexibility in the actual negotiations towards ending the war.

But Russia's continuance attacks and also it's shown almost no flexibility in the actual negotiations towards ending the war.

But Russia's continuance attacks and also it's shown almost no flexibility in the actual negotiations towards ending the war.

Because they want more, you know, including a change of leadership in Kiev, perhaps with U.S. backing. So Moscow is happy to amplify White House frustrations with Zelenskyy. You know, Putin's other approach here has been to expand negotiations.

Because they want more, you know, including a change of leadership in Kiev, perhaps with U.S. backing. So Moscow is happy to amplify White House frustrations with Zelenskyy. You know, Putin's other approach here has been to expand negotiations.

Because they want more, you know, including a change of leadership in Kiev, perhaps with U.S. backing. So Moscow is happy to amplify White House frustrations with Zelenskyy. You know, Putin's other approach here has been to expand negotiations.

You know, he's inflexible on Ukraine, but extremely flexible when it comes to other deals with the U.S., whether that's investment opportunities, prisoner exchanges, even helping with negotiations with Iran. So Putin is making himself very useful to Trump and making it very hard to walk away. You know, think of it as Putin's own version of the art of the deal.