The war was not going well for Russia, and it hasn't been since Ukraine stopped holding back its strikes. Until recently, Russia’s offensive was failing, and its battlefield momentum had largely stalled. That's when President Donald Trump threw Vladimir Putin a lifeline.
New York Times columnists David French and Thomas Friedman both detailed in their columns Thursday that Trump's "deal" for a small purchase of diesel from Russia will go down in history as not only a strategic misstep but it will only add to Trump's support of Russia over the years.
“He will enter the history books in the chapter on leaders who sold out their country’s democratic values to appease a dictator," Friedman blasted in his column.
French agreed, "He is turning the American government against Ukraine, funding Russia and — perhaps worst of all — playing directly into Putin’s theory of victory.”
Trump's purchase, he continued, will put roughly $4 billion into the Russian coffers at a time that Putin desperately needs it. Meanwhile, a March CNN report alleged that Russia has been helping Iran by giving the country access to its intelligence, including where Americans are positioned in the region. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made a similar claim in June, saying Russia helped Iran. A further September CNN report cited two of Trump's own officials, who told them that Russian spy satellites are feeding intelligence to Iran.
But Trump has made it clear that he simply doesn't believe it, Politico reported last week.
Then Trump falsely claimed there was a "deal" and a "ceasefire."
"Consider that for a moment. Trump wasn’t announcing a deal at all. There was no deal. He made it up and then demanded that both nations do what he said," French wrote.
Ukraine complied, pausing its bombing, while Russia did not.
"I don’t think he deserves a respite," said Sergey Lavrov.
To Ukraine, French said, "the message is clear: You are at our mercy.”
It comes after Russia had a very bad summer, he noted. Their offensive was an utter failure. In all of 2026, Russia has managed to gain about 100 square kilometers, under 39 miles.
The Kyiv Post reported Thursday that Zelenskyy said, "We're done." He announced his intention to continue bombing Russian oil infrastructure, particularly after Russia began intentionally striking civilians.
Friedman said that he's never bought into the idea that Trump is some kind of Russian agent or being paid by Putin.
"It is much worse. He simply does not cherish democracy. He cherishes money. And he has no problem selling the first for the second. When he acts in his own commercial interests, that’s his personal business. When he uses the American presidency to make a buck, it is our collective shame," said Friedman.
French agreed, saying it isn't "America First"; it's "Trump First."
He fears that under Trump's second term, the U.S. is "worse than unreliable" he called it "unhinged." However, it'll cost more than just the U.S. It'll impact the world, French closed.
In his Thursday column, former Homeland Security chief of staff Miles Taylor wrote that he thinks it's time that investigations into Trump's "collusion with Russia" be rerenewed.
