Donald Trump is a Weak-Kneed Wimp in His Dealings With Vladimir Putin

By: Donald V. Watkins

Copyrighted and Published on August 17, 2025

Russian President Vladimir Putin (left) meets President Donald Trump in Alaska.

An Editorial Opinion

Donald Trump is a well-known Vietnam-era draft dodger, who avoided the military draft 5 times. On Friday, he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin to broker a peace deal in the three and a half-year Ukraine-Russia war.

It is an established fact that Trump lacks a spine and “balls” in his dealings with three foreign leaders: Vladimir Putin, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Chinese President Xi Pinping.  

Last Friday, Trump gave Putin, a designated war criminal, a meeting on U.S. soil. The other designated war criminal who was welcome by Trump this year on U.S. soil is Benjamin Netanyahu.

Trump has an affinity for war criminals and dictators.  They can easily seduce Trump into "bellhop" status by merely stroking his oversized ego. Nothing more is required.

Trump promoted his 3-hour meeting with Putin as the “Alaska 2025 Summit” on the Ukriane-Russia war.  When the Summit was over, there was no peace deal brokered between Trump and Putin and no cease fire achieved.  What is worse, Putin disrespected Trump by killing Ukrainians while he was stroking Trump’s ego during their closed-door meeting. 

Putin gave the world a master class in how to "de-nut" Donald Trump. He also declared that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s absence constituted proof that he and Trump considered Zelensky an illegitimate president. Trump did not dispute Putin's assertion in this regard.

Now, Trump says it’s up to Zelensky to make peace.

Trump was not allowed to acknowledge that Putin’s forces invaded Ukraine, in violation of the the Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurances. Signed in 1994 between Ukraine, the U.S., Russia, and the United Kingdom, the memorandum committed the signatory parties to defending Ukraine’s sovereignty if Ukraine gave up its nuclear weapons, which it did.

Instead of defending Ukraine, Trump wants to give the Russian invaders whatever Ukrainian territory Putin seeks, no questions asked.

Trump's Word on Ukraine Sovereignty is Worthless

Trump’s word on defending Ukraine’s sovereignty is as worthless as Trump’s word was to his tens of thousands business partners, vendors, and employees over the past four decades.  Trump has a long and distinguished track-record of stiffing those who have been the most loyal to him. Here are some notable examples of Trump's practice of stiffing his business partners, vendors, employees, and others:

• Trump University: A for-profit educational enterprise offering real estate training, it closed in 2010 after facing lawsuits alleging fraudulent practices.

• Trump Casinos: Several of Trump's Atlantic City casino ventures, including the Trump Taj Mahal, Trump Plaza, and Trump Castle, went bankrupt and were eventually closed or sold off to other companies. The parent company of these casinos, Trump Hotels and Casino Resorts (later Trump Entertainment Resorts), also went bankrupt multiple times.

• Trump Mortgage: Launched just before the 2008 housing market collapse, it failed to gain significant traction and folded within 18 months.

• Trump Steaks: This line of steaks, sold through retailers like Sharper Image and QVC, was discontinued due to low sales.

• The Trump Network: A multi-level marketing company selling wellness products and at-home vitamin tests, it shut down quietly in 2012.

• Trump Vodka: This liquor venture, launched in 2006, failed to compete with established brands and was out of business by 2011.

• Trump Shuttle: An airline shuttle service purchased by Trump in 1989, it struggled with debt and labor issues and was absorbed by competitors within three years.

• GoTrump.com: An online travel booking website launched in 2006, it failed to attract enough users and was shut down within a year.

• Trump Ice: This luxury bottled water brand, launched in the early 2000s, faded out of production by 2010.

• Trump Home: A line of luxury furniture, its sales declined and retail partnerships were severed, leading to its eventual phasing out.

• Trump Fragrances: Several colognes and perfumes were sold under the Trump brand but were eventually dropped by retailers.

• Trump: The Game: A board game released in 1989 (and re-released in 2004), it underperformed both times and was discontinued.

• Trump Magazine: A lifestyle publication launched in 1997, it ceased operations in 2009 amid the recession and dwindling ad revenues.

• Trump Institute: Similar to Trump University, this venture offering real estate seminars and workshops also faced controversies related to plagiarism and misleading practices.

• Trump Communications (Trumpet): A planned telecommunications venture that stalled before launch and folded without ever serving a customer.

• The Donald J. Trump Foundation: Trump's New York-based tax-exempt private foundation formed in 1988 was dissolved by court order in 2018 after facing legal scrutiny and allegations of various violations. Trump was also forced to pay $2 million for misusing charitable funds for his own political gain

Trump Can't Be Trusted to Safeguard Ukraine's Security Assurances

Donald Trump reminds me of the weak-kneed, wimpy, court-appointed attorneys who sell out their hapless clients to hardnose prosecutors before they even meet them. 

Personally, I would NEVER have Donald Trump negotiate any kind of peace deal for me.  He doesn't have the backbone needed for dealing with war criminals. Trump is only good at running roughshod over the rights of women, Blacks, Spanish-speaking Americans, defenseless Muslims, migrants of color, LBGTQ Americans, veterans, poor Americans, homeless people, and domestic political enemies.

Based upon Trump's history in business and politics, he is completely untrustworthy and his reputation for truth and veracity is sorely lacking.

In the wake of the tens of thousands of loyal Trump partners, vendors, and employees who have been betrayed and hurt by him over the decades, it is clear to me that the only interest Trump advances and protects in any situation is his own grifting.