POLITICS: Putin ‘attack’ bluster shows Russia is one standing in way of peace

The mood was cautiously optimistic after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky emerged from his Mar-a-Lago meeting on Sunday. Zelensky compromised on many points of a peace plan, and President Trump said he was willing to visit Ukraine to lobby parliament on territorial concessions.

An end to the devastating war was “closer than ever before,” Trump said.

Then, on cue, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin chose lies, hatred, and death instead.

Putin claimed that the Ukrainians had launched drones to kill him at one of his many extravagant residences. Because of this, the Russians had no choice but to be “more rigid” in negotiations, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov blustered.

It’s rich that Putin, who has waged a brutal war for nearly four years, believes that any violence in his vicinity merits special outrage. After all, Russia launched 131 drones on Christmas at Kyiv and other cities, killing seven civilians. Civilians. The Kremlin specifically targets apartment buildings and power plants to punish the ordinary people of Ukraine. The Russians kidnap children. They torture and execute prisoners. Further, Moscow has tried repeatedly to assassinate Zelensky. Any attack on Putin is more than justified.

But here’s the rub: The drone strike likely never happened. Zelensky vigorously denied it. Peskov said the Russians could provide no evidence, and urged the press to “take the Kremlin’s word for it.”

No, we won’t.

Putin’s entire war is a lie, a “special military operation” to “de-Nazify” a country that isn’t run by Nazis. In this case, common sense points to an invented or embellished narrative to give Russia an excuse to reject Trump’s progress.

Just as he did in Alaska, Putin was offered peace and instead spat in America’s eye.

Vladimir Putin is not an honest broker who can see reason, nor a business opportunity to be unlocked.

Look beyond Ukraine. Russia has long supported Iran, and this week launched three communications satellites for the Islamic regime. It urged “restraint” as Trump threatened to bomb Iran’s nuclear facilities again. Putin backs the corrupt, drug-smuggling Nicolas Maduro regime in Venezuela, and opposes Trump’s operations there.

And a recent report found that a “shadow fleet” Russian freighter that sank off Spain last year was likely smuggling nuclear parts to North Korea.

Across the world, Russia is opposing Trump’s agenda.

The answer should not be more concessions, but a bigger stick. Kyiv has done its part. The onus should be on Putin to step up or face more stringent sanctions and more deadly weapons in Ukraine.

Despite his defiance, Putin’s actions smack of a deteriorating internal situation. His economy is stagnating. Propaganda is flailing as soldiers return with missing limbs. His victory is neither imminent nor inevitable. Spare us his crocodile tears and turn up the heat.