So, for his next move, Vladimir Putin was trying to get Volodymyr Zelensky removed as the leader of Ukraine as part of the peace deal and an interim government installed. Putin has called for a transitional administration, that really means a pro-Russian puppet government that unlike Zelensky will yield to Moscow’s demands. What that means is the death squads sent into Kiev in the early days of the Russian invasion ultimately failed, now Putin is entertaining another way to get rid of Zelensky.

So far, all of Putin’s special military operation has been a complete failure, so this is now his best chance of getting what he wants. That is eliminating his obstacle to success, that is the leadership of Zelensky. With the Trump Administration and its anti-European stance eager to make a deal, there is concern. JD Vance is embarrassing himself in an international sense, but he is also playing up for the hardliners back home and supporting his base. 

What we are seeing is an anti-European stance with the Trump Administration desperate to make a deal at any cost. Even if Trump and his zealots sell Ukraine out, a bad deal is better than no deal according to the flawed Trump mantra. Now Trump and his hardliners are sidetracked with the Iran/Israel conflict, we will see Ukraine get sidelined until that conflict is under control, this will have a large bearing on global share markets in the coming weeks and months. Putin is looking vulnerable, his invasion of Ukraine has failed and he is looking for a way out to save face.