Trump's Putin Plea Called 'Laughable' by Analysts

Political analysts are widely dismissing former President Donald Trump’s recent criticism of Russian President Vladimir Putin as ineffectual and remarkably mild, particularly given the context of ongoing devastating strikes on Kyiv. Trump, via his Truth Social platform, urged Putin to “STOP!” and lamented the “very bad timing” of the attacks, also noting an estimated 5,000 Russian soldier deaths weekly.

The comments, ostensibly aimed at encouraging a peace deal—negotiations which have stalled largely over the issue of Russian control of Crimea—were met with skepticism on CNN. Host John Berman questioned the potential impact of such a statement on Putin, a sentiment echoed by senior political commentator Ana Navarro, who suggested the phrase “Vladimir, stop!” would likely become fodder for online mockery. Navarro characterized the post as the first public rebuke of Putin by Trump, labeling it “foreign policy by tweet.”

Critics point out the significant omission in Trump’s statement: a direct condemnation of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Democratic strategist Meghan Hays described the message as focusing solely on the timing of the attacks, rather than the attacks themselves, and therefore “laughable” as a serious attempt at foreign policy.

Hays further emphasized that Ukraine is the nation under attack and actively defending its sovereignty, arguing that the United States should be unequivocally supporting Ukraine and its allies. The prevailing assessment is that Trump’s message, while a departure from his previous reluctance to publicly criticize Putin, lacks the necessary strength and directness to exert any meaningful influence on the conflict. It feels, to many observers, like a performative gesture rather than a substantive contribution to de-escalation efforts. The situation demands robust condemnation of aggression, not a gentle suggestion about convenient timing.