Putin Isn’t Actually Enjoying This

https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2025/06/putin-isnt-actually-enjoying-this/683183/?utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=the-atlantic&utm_content=edit-promo

Posted by theatlantic

8 comments

  1. Andrew Ryvkin: “Within weeks of Donald Trump’s second inauguration, pundits began saying that his return to office opened new doors for Vladimir Putin, offering Moscow opportunities it hadn’t seen in years. The deference the new administration afforded the Kremlin appeared to be rivaled only by its hostility toward its own national-security establishment.

    “Trump entered negotiations to end the war in Ukraine by presenting Putin with a bouquet of inexplicable concessions. Washington ruled out NATO membership for Ukraine—then proposed that it might recognize the illegally occupied Crimean peninsula as Russian (in a reversal of long-standing U.S. policy), allow Russia to retain most of the territory it had seized since 2022, and lift sanctions. The U.S. even sided against its European allies when they presented a resolution at the United Nations condemning Moscow—and then it drafted a peace proposal that omitted any criticism of Russia.

    “You’d think Putin would be delighted by all of this. Instead, he’s been thrown on his heels. Trump’s efforts at rapprochement have left Russia’s propaganda apparatus, foreign policy, and economic stability in worse shape than they were before January 20.

    “Whatever the intent, Washington has robbed the Kremlin of its north star: opposition to the United States. After years of routinely threatening to drown the Eastern Seaboard, Moscow can no longer afford the luxury of calling America its enemy No. 1. Thanks to Trump, the Kremlin now has to portray Washington as a rational negotiating partner—even as American-made missiles continue to rain down on Russian troops. The title of Russia’s civilizational enemy has been reassigned to the European Union. The Russian propaganda machine has some flexibility, but being locked in an existential struggle with the Netherlands is far less flattering to the imperial mindset than going up against the world’s leading superpower. And so Russia’s information mills seem to be glitching out.”

    Read more: [https://theatln.tc/uSoTS4IT](https://theatln.tc/uSoTS4IT) 

  3. >Trump’s efforts at rapprochement have left Russia’s propaganda apparatus, foreign policy, and economic stability in worse shape than they were before January 20.

    Economic stability has nothing to do with Trump’s efforts. It’s a result of three years of war and losses. Trump doesn’t get credit for this.

    >Whatever the intent, Washington has robbed the Kremlin of its north star: opposition to the United States.
    Thanks to Trump, the Kremlin now has to portray Washington as a rational negotiating partner—even as American-made missiles continue to rain down on Russian troops. The title of Russia’s civilizational enemy has been reassigned to the European Union. The Russian propaganda machine has some flexibility, but being locked in an existential struggle with the Netherlands is far less flattering to the imperial mindset than going up against the world’s leading superpower. And so Russia’s information mills seem to be glitching out

    Why does it matter? What practical consequences does it have?

    Ok, Trump did that, so what? What changed?

    Does it mean Russia will get less money, fewer soldiers? No.

    Russian propaganda is nothing more than a way to synchronize different parts of Russian society, to tell everyone what the social norm is, it doesn’t matter how absurd this norm is.

  4. Everyone has an opinion and here is one also…putin is enjoying this. The worlds most powerful/wealthy person can do whatever he wants. Ergo, he must be enjoying this cuz he can change it at a snap of his fingers..

  5. Trump’s way of solving the Ukraine war: “ Just listen to Putin and you will have no war”

  6. That’s it? I don’t see a strong argument at all in this article or podcast. To make this claim, you would have to weigh the trade offs with the positives. This is stating Putin is unhappy because they have to change their propaganda.

    I would contend that cutting aid to Ukraine from its larger backer is a much bigger prize than Putin maybe having to change the direction of their propaganda efforts. If you gave him an option, he would choose this scenario 10/10 times. This isn’t some masterclass from Trump or a way to weaken Russia. It’s just a byproduct of the US no longer supporting Ukraine, which is in totality a huge victory for Putin.

  7. Most people don’t enjoy their plans going south so yeah I can see that

  8. Of course not.

    He took a hit on what he cares about the most. His image.

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