The Trump-Putin love story’s next chapter: selling out Ukraine | Sidney Blumenthal

President Trump is advancing a Russian-backed plan to end the Ukraine war on Moscow's terms, removing sanctions and restricting Ukrainian military support while pursuing personal business deals with Russian oligarchs. The moves come as Trump seeks political gain ahead of midterm elections by shifting blame for inflation and foreign policy failures to Ukraine.

Trump has waived sanctions against Russia under the Lindsey Graham Act, which passed with rare bipartisan support after Graham's death. Trump's sister-in-law, Darline Graham Nordone, was appointed to replace Graham but was sidelined when Trump disregarded the legislation she was meant to champion.

Zelenskyy called this a "happy birthday gift to Putin" that provides hard currency to sustain Russia's war machine while doing little to help American consumers.

Energy deals and military support

The diesel deal follows a friendly hour-and-a-half phone call between Trump and Putin on Trump's 74th birthday, during which neither wanted to hang up first. This transaction came after Trump abruptly restricted Ukraine's access to the Starshield network, managed by Elon Musk for the Pentagon, which is essential for Ukraine's defense communications.

The connectivity outage preceded Russian missile strikes that knocked out energy infrastructure, leaving 600,000 Ukrainians without power. Musk, whose businesses depend on federal contracts, has spent $366 million on Republican midterm campaigns, exceeding his $276 million spending to elect Trump in 2024.

Business arrangements with Russia

Putin has pitched Trump's envoys, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, on international assets of Lukoil, Russia's second-largest oil company. The deal would involve the Abu Dhabi royal family and Qatari investors who are also partners with Kushner on an Albanian luxury real estate project that has sparked popular protests.

Todd Boehly, CEO of Eldridge Industries and co-owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Lakers, has donated $2 million to Trump's political action committee, Maga Inc., as part of the Lukoil consortium negotiations. A European intelligence report details 10 potential ventures Trump's team has discussed with Russia after forcing a Ukrainian surrender.

Historical parallels and personal ties

Trump's actions echo historical parallels to Neville Chamberlain's appeasement of Hitler at Munich, though Chamberlain did not profit personally from his deals. Trump has long admired Putin as an "ultimate badass" autocrat, according to former Russia director Fiona Hill, who observed Trump's pathetic need to be seen as Putin's equal.

Trump's family connections to Russian interests extend to his son's wedding in the Bahamas, partially funded by Umar Kremlev, a Putin-linked head of the Olympic-banned International Boxing Association. Trump's brazen pursuit of Russian partnerships has shifted from accusations of "collusion" to open declarations of his aspiration to become Putin's equal.

The administration's efforts to weaponize the Department of Justice against perceived "deep state" enemies have faltered with the resignation of key prosecutor Joe diGenova, who cited pressure to bring premature criminal cases. Trump's relationship with Putin now represents his most significant foreign policy shift, prioritizing personal business interests over national security alliances.