Donald Trump is seeking quick agreements with Russia, but the cost of such deals may turn out to be much higher than it seems at first glance. While his administration is looking for ways to resume energy cooperation with Moscow, the president’s inner circle is displaying a dangerous naivety toward Vladimir Putin. Meanwhile, the Kremlin may exploit Washington’s desire for diplomatic victories to secure new concessions – ranging from the easing of sanctions to political benefits.
Political scientist and American studies expert Oleksandra Filipenko, speaking exclusively to 24 Channel, analyzed the questionable decisions and unprofessionalism of the Trump team, which are raising more and more questions even among Republicans. Why the White House is effectively playing into Moscow’s hands, how Russia can turn the release of American citizens into a tool for blackmail, and why attempts to strike a deal with Putin at any cost are dangerous – read about it in this article.
A Hasty Diesel Deal
The recent actions of Donald Trump and his inner circle are causing serious concern even among staunch Republicans. As Oleksandra Filippenko notes, citing Hillary Clinton’s view, Trump’s illogical insistence on pushing initiatives that benefit Russia – amid a catastrophically low approval rating (31%) – suggests that the Kremlin holds serious compromising material on him.
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Instead of a measured policy, the new administration is trying to quickly conclude deals on Russian oil and gas before Democrats can block these processes.
It should be noted that a bipartisan bill has already been introduced in the U.S. Congress that wouldblock the shameful diesel deal with Vladimir Putin. Moreover, the bill requires the administration to impose new sanctions against the Russian energy sector
Among the most absurd ideas voiced by Trump’s inner circle – particularly Steve Witkoff – is the resumption of Russian gas transit to Europe via Ukraine. This demonstrates a complete lack of understanding of the history of gas blackmail, which Moscow has been using since the early 2000s.
And Trump recently stated himself claims that the diesel deal is supposedly not a concession to Russia, but rather a form of pressure.
The Trump Team’s Lack of Professionalism
Another real problem for the new administration is the glaring unprofessionalism of the people entrusted with extremely complex diplomatic tasks. Filippenko cites a telling example involving Pete Hagseth, who wanted an antique Eisenhower globe for his office, but his aides simply broke the historic artifact while moving it. This incident serves as a metaphor for Trump’s entire foreign policy: amateurs take on complex mechanisms and simply break them.
Even more shocking were the words of Steve Witkoff, who called the Russian dictator a "humanist". This statement outraged even the most restrained conservatives.
In particular, Republican Senator Tom Tillis publicly criticized Witkoff, while Mitt Romney compared attempts to negotiate with Putin to hypothetical deals between Churchill and Hitler. When unprofessional diplomats engage in diplomacy, the results are disastrous.
A Trap for Americans
The situation involvingthe release of American Stephen Hubbard deserves special attention; Russia sentenced him to nearly seven years in prison on trumped-up charges of mercenary activity. Trump is trying to present this as a major diplomatic victory, thereby overshadowing his scandalous remarks about Ukraine.
However, this approach is extremely dangerous. By negotiating with Putin to secure the return of a single citizen in exchange for political or economic concessions, Trump is effectively legitimizing the Kremlin’s terrorist logic.
Russia understands that it can continually extract concessions simply by capturing new foreign nationals. At least 15 known U.S. citizens remain in Russian prisons, some of whom have been sentenced to more than 20 years. Instead of systematically addressing the problem, the Trump administration is turning human lives into bargaining chips in trade deals with a dictator.
This means that the danger to any foreigner with a Western passport in Russia is growing exponentially, since a criminal case there can be fabricated “in five minutes” just to replenish the exchange fund.
Filippenko on the trap for the U.S.: watch the video
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