He shunted aside a bipartisan law, signed just weeks ago, imposing new tariffs on Russia. He cut a deal to purchase diesel from Moscow. His negotiators agreed on the vague outlines of a deal for much of Lukoil, a battered Russian energy firm.
And he called for the replacement of President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, whose success in taking the fight inside Russia deeply frustrates him. President Trump’s intensifying effort in the past few weeks to rehabilitate Russia and usher President Vladimir V. Putin back into diplomatic society is remarkable for its speed, its characterization of Mr.
Zelensky as the primary obstacle to peace, and its brazen denial that Russia is continuing the war that Mr. Trump says he is trying to end. Trump said on Monday, speaking to reporters outside the White House as he left for a campaign rally.
In contrast, he said, “We’ve given a lot to Ukraine. They’ve given nothing to us. Remember that.” He repeated the statement for emphasis.
The night before, he wrote on social media that Mr. Zelensky “doesn’t want to end this war, and probably never did,” because it brought him a flow of cash and arms from Europe, making no mention that Ukraine is fighting for its sovereignty and even survival in a war that it did not start. Nor is his willingness to give the benefit of the doubt to Mr.
Putin, for whom he has often expressed respect and even admiration. But what is different now is Mr. Trump’s increased determination to force a deal on Mr.
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