Russian President Vladimir Putin has just played his latest trick. On April 28, he suddenly announced a unilateral three-day truce in fighting in Ukraine to extend from May 8-10.
Ostensibly, this truce is supposed to be in honor of VE day, which Russia celebrates on May 9 as the anniversary of the German surrender to the Allies in World War II (the formal surrender occurred after midnight on May 9, according to Moscow time).
This annual celebration is the grandest of all Russian military holidays and has been made by Putin into one of his most pageant-like propaganda platforms. Therefore, it makes a plausible opportunity for a truce, although that has not been the case during the rest of the Russian aggression against Ukraine.
What Is Putin Doing?
However, the real purpose of this sudden truce announcement is to throw sand into President Trump’s eyes, and the fact that Putin has now played this trick reflects both his concern that Trump might walk away from the table before Putin can cash his chips as well as his contempt for Trump’s intelligence. The reason for Putin playing this trick now is obvious. Trump’s threats that America may walk away from efforts to impose a pro-Russian peace on Ukraine if the fighting does not stop means that Putin cannot pocket the gains that Trump’s impatience and ignorance of the issues involved here has led him to give Putin.
These concessions are recognition de jure of Crimea as Russia even though this violates 90 years of American diplomacy and international law that does not recognize territory seized by force: de facto recognition of the four provinces, Kherson, Zaporizhiia, Luhansk, and Donets, as Russian even though Russia has failed to capture all of this territory, Ukraine will be barred from NATO membership and receive no security guarantee from Washington. US sanctions on Russia will be lifted, leading to bilateral economic cooperation between Moscow and Washington.
Apart from the fact that they give nothing to Ukraine, these proposals and the fact that there is no peacekeeping for or security guarantee given to Ukraine, these concessions amount to a second Munich Agreement where the great powers negotiate over the head of a smaller victim and dismember it with the gravest of consequences for international security. Indeed, it is already clear that few, if any, European peacekeepers will arrive in Ukraine due to Russian threats.
Putin Will Not Stop In Ukraine
By continuing to bomb civilian targets and by violating his own self-proclaimed Easter truce, Putin jeopardized his standing with Trump, who is clearly unhappy with his behavior. Trump’s positive meeting with Ukrainian president Zelensky at the funeral of Pope Francis also might signify a turn in Trump’s attitude. Indeed, Trump typically is now threatening new sanctions on Russia. Hence Putin’s sudden announcement of a unilateral VE day truce.
Obviously, he thinks this announcement will lead Trump to restore the concessions that are almost there for the taking. There is and should be little doubt about this gesture’s sincerity or purpose, not to speak of Putin’s willingness to resume negotiations. And the fact that Putin proclaimed this truce with these purposes in mind speaks volumes about his estimation of Trump’s fitness to defend Western interests.
Already, Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov is telling foreign audiences that not only is Crimea a ”done deal” because Russia does not negotiate over its own territory, but international recognition of Russia’s control over the four aforementioned provinces that Moscow has occupied is a precondition for peace talks.
Thus, Putin clearly will not negotiate in good faith and expects priori rewards for his aggression. Typically, Moscow insists on retaining the fruits of aggression even before the negotiations for peace begin.
Putin may hold this position because he thinks he is winning, and many Western audiences, including in Washington, believe that there is no way Ukraine can win. Yet Russia could not sustain the war without the massive aid it gets from China, Iran, and North Korea.
Moreover, the Russian economy itself is under great and probably growing stress. Putin has admitted that despite its militarization, Russia’s defense industry suffers from gaps. Furthermore, its economy now relies on China without which it could not finance the war and upon a mounting off-budget debt that is putting its credit standing and the overall economy at risk.
What Happens Next?
In other words, given Ukraine’s own resilience, mounting European support for Ukraine’s war effort, and a consistent flow of US military, and intelligence support plus rigorous sanctions on Russia and secondary sanctions upon its supporters the US could force Putin to engage directly with Ukraine in negotiations, uphold Ukrainian and European security, defeat China’s ally, establish lasting energy markets for the US and Europe, and safeguard not only NATO but international security.
This truce, however, merely masks Putin’s ongoing greed for empire and contempt for the US and Trump.
Russian President Putin. Image Credit: Russian Federation.
Giving Russia all it wants, undermining Ukraine, Europe, and international security is not a peace with honor nor is it peace. Instead, it essentially guarantees further wars in Europe and elsewhere.
The administration may pretend to itself and others that it is making peace, but here, as in other examples, “Gentlemen cry peace, but there is no peace.”
About the Author: Dr. Stephen Blank
Dr. Stephen J. Blank is a Non-Resident Senior Fellow in the Foreign Policy Research Institute’s Eurasia Program. He has published over 900 articles and monographs on Soviet/Russian, U.S., Asian, and European military and foreign policies, testified frequently before Congress on Russia, China, and Central Asia, consulted for the Central Intelligence Agency, major think tanks and foundations, chaired major international conferences in the US and in Florence; Prague; and London, and has been a commentator on foreign affairs in the media in the US and abroad. He has also advised major corporations on investing in Russia and is a consultant for the Gerson Lehrmann Group. He is the author of Russo-Chinese Energy Relations: Politics in Command (London: Global Markets Briefing, 2006), and Natural Allies? Regional Security in Asia and Prospects for Indo-American Strategic Cooperation (Carlisle, PA: Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College, 2005). Dr. Blank is also the author of The Sorcerer as Apprentice: Stalin’s Commissariat of Nationalities (Greenwood, 1994); and the co-editor of The Soviet Military and the Future (Greenwood, 1992).
Jim
April 28, 2025 at 7:22 pm
Mr. Blank, the United Nations Charter recognizes self-determination… flowing from Wilsonian principles, which the United States still recognizes, in principle, and has used in our own foreign policy, see Kosovo.
Please, you start off so caught out in falsehood, it cancels much of your credibility.
Crimea had elections (which the U. S. doesn’t recognize), but which reflected consistent poll numbers out of Crimea which showed strong support for Crimea joining Russia, and, indeed the election returns were strongly in favor of joining Russia.
The People of Crimea never want to be under the brutal Kiev regime again and will fight to stay alive against that brutal, corrupt, police-state… who state again and again, “We want to kill Russians where ever we find them.”
Ditto for the way the Donbas People feel about Kiev.
Putin isn’t worried Trump will walk away, although, if their demands were met via negotiations, that would be fine, but if not, they are prepared to gain their war-aims on the battlefield… and are on their way to do it.
Trump’s proposal is far from a Russian tilted proposal, in fact, if Zelensky hadn’t already rejected the proposal, Russia would have ultimately rejected it as well.
There is no trick.
There is war… apparently to the finish for Kiev… who, by the way, have never negotiated in good faith, since the violent overthrow of a duly-elected president which alienated half the populace, and then over time instituted a police-state, with discrimination against Russian speakers, banning critical media, banning critical political parties and arresting individuals critical of the regime which came to power after the violent overthrow.
All before the February 2022 invasion (martial law was only imposed after the invasion).
There are no tricks… only your specious arguments and false statements.
You do no service to an informed public or readership.
… if there’s anyone playing tricks… it’s you.
There will be peace one way or the other, hopefully, in a negotiated settlement, but if not when Kiev finally puts down its arms.
… nobody knows when.
Doyle
April 29, 2025 at 1:37 pm
Putin is a liar and you’re his mouthpiece. Russia cannot win this war unless everyone leaves Ukraine to its fate. Otherwise kiss a generation of your men goodbye, kiss your economy goodbye and in the end kiss your country goodbye all from the miscalculations of a tyrant. Good work.
Ol'Timer
April 28, 2025 at 9:03 pm
“Indeed, it is already clear that few, if any, European peacekeepers will arrive in Ukraine due to Russian threats.”
This is one illustration of the fundamental problem.
For all the talk about supporting Ukraine, Europe just won’t do what it needs to do.
They’d much rather posture and emote about Ukraine and then blame “populism” for their moral failure.
waco
April 28, 2025 at 11:22 pm
Vladimir Putin is the dumbest Russian leader since Gorbachev.
The stupid-est leader today, worse than xi jinping, the global covider and fentanylner.
Now is not the time for ceasefires, now is the time to put the sword to the throat of the neoNazi.
But putin is now an imbecile. A totally incompetent cretin. Somebody needs to bump him off, NOW !!!
Doyle
April 29, 2025 at 1:39 pm
Putin is as much a neo Nazi as any leader on this planet.
mihai
April 29, 2025 at 5:28 am
We could honour him by a strike in Red square. Many bad guys will be eliminated and the world will be safer.UA drones can reach Moscow…
Doyle
April 29, 2025 at 1:40 pm
Just turn the power off there and in St. Petersburg and further embarrass him in front of the world.
404NotFound
April 29, 2025 at 5:34 am
Putin is a dimwitted dumbass, and no trickster. Not at all.
Today is the 29 of April 2025.
What happened eighty years ago today.
Eighty years ago today, on 29 April 1945, Russian soldiers of the Soviet 3rd shock army breached German defenses at the Moltke bridge.
The bridge was guarded by Nazi troopers and boobytrapped with explosives.But the 150th rifle company managed to capture it in the very early morning hours.
Soldiers then began fanning out into the nearby streets.
German buildings like the Reichstag were heavily stacked with SS troops, many of them foreign members or foreign volunteers, who greatly preferred to fight to the death.
The russkies had to rely on humongous amounts of hand grenades plus artillery guns firing at point blank range to overcome the Nazis.
That was on 29 April 1945.
But Putin, today, wants a ceasefire. Hell, what would those Russian soldiers think of him. A total nincompoop.
The hell with putin.
megiddo
April 29, 2025 at 7:08 am
Vladimir putin is a fool who’s clearly stabbing his own people in order to please foreigners like donald trump and marco rubio.
Israel is conducting daily massacres and slaughter on the gaza inhabitants, but regular arms transport from the US passes through several european countries, like UK, germany, netherlands and denmark, which are famous for lecturing others about human rights.
Now is the time for putin to do what the western countries are practising.
Send weapons like glide bombs and rockets to all the transit and arrival point in ukraine bringing in arms from abroad.
Now is the time to KILL, not the time for a stupid ceasefire. Stop betraying the people. Now time to kill all the nazis. Wipe them off the Earth.
Doyle
April 29, 2025 at 1:43 pm
Love the enthusiasm for the impossible. Russia can’t do what you say never mind the fact the glide bombs don’t have that range. Just kill the little neo Nazi in Moscow and the war ends.
bobb
April 29, 2025 at 7:39 am
Putin is a stupid big huge knucklehead.
Ceasefires are for stupid knuckleheads. Just ask netanyahu. Which ceasefire he’s observing. Which one.
Today is the day for russia to use nuclear weapons. Russia bolds the major cards.
Nobody has the balls to threaten russia. Trump? Xi?
All russia needs to do is tell trump and xi moscow’s willing to crap taiwan with a large big-sized nuke and then see what happens.
Trump and Xi will have to outrace each other to reach Taipei in order to provide ‘relief’ and basic aid.
That would be very extremely interesting to watch. See the two elbowing each other, kicking one another, and flooring each other !!!
Doyle
April 29, 2025 at 1:44 pm
Meglomania much?
Michael
April 29, 2025 at 8:46 am
Well, this follows a predictable pattern:
(1) Brent oil futures fall below $65.
(2) Medvedvev has a drunken rant threatening nukes.
(3) The orc troll brigade in the comment section follows suit.
Brent oil futures are currently at $63.68 – lower by the hour today and the lowest since March 2021 (!)
Right about this price, some oilfields in russia start operating at a loss: and ”… if Brent drops below $60, a significant portion of Russian oil production will become uneconomical.” (incorrys.com)
Newsweek:
” Russia’s Economic Development Ministry has reduced its 2025 forecast for the average price of Urals crude to $56 per barrel, which is well below the estimated $69 price that Russia’s budget is based on and the lowest since the pandemic caused a collapse in demand.
It is also less than the $60-a-barrel tipping point, above which profits from oil exports are added to Russia’s sovereign wealth fund via taxes. Revenues below this cut-off are covered by drawing from the fund, which as of April 1, held 3.27 trillion rubles ($39.8 billion) in liquid assets.”
And all because of agent krasnov 🙂
Horsemen-of-the-Alocalypse
April 29, 2025 at 9:23 am
The west cannot be trusted.
The west’s solidly behind the cutthroat deadly nazis.
That includes washington.
Trump is just a passing piss.
Once he’s gone, US to nuke moscow on behalf of neo-nazis.
So now, russia needs to finish off the russo-ukro war, now, immediately. Can’t wait no more.
Tomorrow, trump’s dead and buried in arlington.And totally forgotten.
CEASEFIRE ??? GO TO HELL !!!
Doyle
April 29, 2025 at 1:46 pm
the Russian nutter brigade is out in force today…lots of jibberish and not much of what might pass as a thought
Voice of Reason
April 29, 2025 at 10:05 am
More fan fiction.
“In other words, given Ukraine’s own resilience” it faces mounting desertions and inability to recruit or even lower the recruiting age.
Support for capitulation grows every month the question is asked.
“mounting European support for Ukraine’s war effort” zero increase in support over baseline has yet to be approved. Germany may approve it, and if it does that will start having an impact perhaps a full year from now.
“consistent flow of US military, and intelligence support” it has been cut once and will be cut completely after Zelensky turns down all deals.
“plus rigorous sanctions on Russia and secondary sanctions upon its supporters the US could force Putin to engage directly” maybe, but it will definitely explode energy inflation world wide for some time before various schemes can be used to redirect it in ways that will elude sanctions enforcement. In the meantime the inflation will keep interest rates high in the US and drive down Trump’s approval. Which is exactly what the author actually wants.
No one is that dumb. Ukraine tried to kill Trump, we know now with at least two assassins. Now Trump will finish the job.
Doyle
April 29, 2025 at 1:48 pm
a tenuous if even real connection to Ukraine means nothing, the implication that the Ukrainian government had anything to do with what you say is laughable but makes for what Russia passes as fact…bad fiction.
Jim
April 29, 2025 at 10:17 am
Looking at the comments, I’m surprised a three day temporary cease fire has drawn such criticism.
The cease fire for three days means nothing militarily in the long run. A cease fire, likely not to be reciprocated by Kiev, so that any incoming fire from Kiev’s forces during the cease fire will be responded to in kind.
Many claim this is Putin being cynical and this ‘cease fire’ is nothing more than moral posturing, or a cynical “trick” as the article’s author claims.
Sure, Putin would rather not have bullets & bombs flying during Victory Day celebrations, but I also suspect it’s a division and jumping off point in the Special Military Operation:
Putin wants to frame and outline the conflict for the Russian People, to reinforce what they are fighting for and about in Ukraine… how it plays into Russia’s future.
It also could mark a departure from a slow-moving, but steady advance, to a more vigorous prosecution of the war.
Sure, such predictions failed to materialize before so time will tell, but this Summer looks to be decisive for Russia’s military operations against the Kiev regime.
Swamplaw Yankee
April 29, 2025 at 10:36 am
Great to read a article instead of internal fantasy Yankee blab like 1945 often gets.
The author really had an useful conclusion. Can we apply it?
The Yankee establishment was taken for a moron ride in the Balkan war the USA participated in. Even today, no Yankee I read understands who killed whom, and was it a retaliation from WW2 or 1385? Who was victim and who was the aggressor is just a point of view from whom and exactly what date?
The Yankee establishment is now taken for a ride by the orc muscovite elite. The USA did not exist when the orc muscovite elite was “harvesting” little children for fun + profit! Got it?
It is the peasant russian genetic trait! Got it! Read + re-read Lolita. Why? This is an insight into the child trafficking that the orc russian peasant has run for 2 thousand years. Obama greenlighted Putin in 2013-14 to start invading Crimea to restart the ancient russian human trafficking tradition/business. Got it?
Putin + his deviant ethnics need those bi-annual sex trade caravans into Ukraine. It is an ethnic russian addiction. Addicts will lie to you. The above author tires to wake the Doodle Dandy up. Addicts will lie to you for their next hit. In the Russian case, Putin lies for a hit on a little girl or boy from out of a Ukrainain family. Got it?
Putin lies for all of Russian peasants! The peasants love him for his sacrifice! The oligarchs have unused table tops that are now refreshed monthly. Got it Yankees? Putin is Epstein on high level drugs! Got it?
As long as the Trump MAGA elite demand to give the human trafficking russian peasant a free gift of 10years of victimization they will love Trump too. They are addicts to giving russian orc language lessons to little children. Do you understand the code words that the USA uses to protect this 2014 sell out of the WEST and Ukraine? The russian language lesson need for Ukrainian children is a scam.
The MAGA elite needs to announce openly that American minors are now eligible for free russian language lessons. Orc muscovite elite friends of the MAGA elite will come to your state to “interview” little minors for a free trip to an unused table top in Moscow! Got it?
What web site tried to warn the american voter about Pizza joint basements?
How much Whackooff Weirdo UNESCO shame style agit prop does the MSM have to show you? Yes, the Wackooff brigade has a very handy pizza basement ready to rent you on its so handy realty site. Just talk free no-cost, giveaway, free victimization of those Ukrainian children for the last 10 years. Just talk free on that topic. There is zero USA politician that demands a pre-payment of $10,000,000 in gold bullion for each and every kidnapped child trafficked by the peasant russian elite. Notice how the pre-payment concept and topic is always covered over, deflected, denied, derided by rare earth metals, etc., garbage talk. The priority for the WEST is pre-payment from Putin in gold bullion for each child! Got it, America.
The above is a great article on this orc russian war. Now the Doodle Dandy can understand why Putin can lie, etc., to the USA and his ethnic russian deviant addicts will love + support Putin to the very last Lolita they can kidnap! -30-
RTColorado
April 29, 2025 at 10:48 am
I have been critical of several 1945 authors lately, but I am in complete agreement with Mr. Blank. Mr. Putin isn’t fooling anyone.
Bankotsu
April 29, 2025 at 12:14 pm
So in order to prevent falling for the trick, Ukraine must attack Russia on May 9? Is that What the writer is telling Ukraine to do?
Jim
April 29, 2025 at 1:06 pm
There is a geopolitical angle here.
Many leaders of the ‘Global South’ will be attending the Victory Day parade and celebratory events in Moscow… and also other representatives and dignitaries from around the World.
Russia’s invasion unsettled and created concern in many of these countries (some having deep reservations). Most of these countries called for a peace settlement early on in the conflict, and there was an attempt at a peace settlement at Istanbul which collapsed… these nations are still quietly calling for a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
And, some, maybe many, are getting impatient for the war to end.
Putin wants to demonstrate to these leaders he is genuinely interested in peace (although, it must be stated he wants a victor’s peace). Putin claims the actions Russia took were forced upon him by years of aggressive actions (impinging on Russia’s security) from the West and their proxy Ukraine.
Putin and Russia have an interest in demonstrating to the visiting dignitaries from these countries that he does want peace, and this is not a prelude to a series of aggressive international actions which all would openly condemn. (These countries do want peace.)
So, it makes sense to have a “humanitarian pause” as a gesture and symbol to suggest an ultimately peaceful intent in general world affairs going into the future.
Putin and Russia for geopolitical and economic reasons wants to maintain cordial diplomatic relations with these countries and a pillar of those cordial relations amidst the war is that Putin keeps the door open to negotiations (which he has done) for a peace settlement.
In other words, Russia wants to keep “onside” as many nations as possible and a humanitarian pause (while dignitaries are in town) is part of that diplomatic strategy to maintain cordial relations during the strain this war has had and is causing on Russia’s diplomatic relations around the World.
There you go.
Michael
April 29, 2025 at 4:59 pm
Dzhim et al, considering the previous (and the one before, and before that, ad nauseam) ceasefires proclaimed by the Mockbanazi (i.e. Kremlin) were promptly violated by the russians, why listen to anything the mythomaniacs in the Mockbanazi say?
It’s really simple – you guys pack up your shit, leave the civilized world and go home to Nether. Voilá! End of war!
Horsemen-of-the-Apocalypse
April 29, 2025 at 6:27 pm
The hell with peace. Peace cometh only when the Nazis and fascists have been eliminated.
Today, the nazis and fascists are growing powerfully strong.
So, finish them off with nukes, nuke them now, as old man walking-corpse-zombie Biden no longer in power.
Who kickstarted the russo-ukro conflict in the first place.
The European politicians, the European-western media, genocide joe Biden and jens stoltenberg.
To hell with the nazis AND all their ass-kissers. To hell with them. Nuke them to hell.
Then peace reigns on Earth.
chrisford1
April 29, 2025 at 6:59 pm
Stephen Black is sadly another Neocon Stooge. Paid well in the past by US tax dollars laundered in Ukraine – to pimp for the Neocons and the MIC.
Ol'Timer
April 29, 2025 at 8:21 pm
Income is down as price of oil declines.
Recruitment down.
Advance is going nowhere, and it’s rather meaningless when the land your military occupies is destroyed, desolate, and still quite deadly.
Casualties up.
Inflation up.
Sanctions are going to get worse, because everybody sees how Russia refuses to agree to a real and enduring ceasefire.
But yes, Russia is winning . . . BIGLY.
Drip, drip, drip as your life drains away.
Kind of like Afghanistan but worse.
Regulator
April 29, 2025 at 9:38 pm
If Russia really wants Crimea and the Donbas, they should return Kaliningrad to Poland and take back the disloyal Russians of Transnistria, Moldova. Russia has plenty of land.
Otherwise Russians demanding special rights – like spying on their hosts and stirring up trouble with impunity – will just do it again, again and again and then call on Tsar Vladi to save them.
George Gordon Byron
April 30, 2025 at 12:40 am
1) Apparently, for the Author, Victory over the Nazi-fascist countries in 1945: Germany (from September 1, 1939 – the First Slovak Republic, from April 4, 1945 – Germany);
Italy (from June 10, 1940 – the Kingdom of Italy, from September 3, 1943 – the Italian Social Republic);
Japan (from December 7, 1941 – the Empire of Japan, until September 2, 1945).
Minor members of the Hitler coalition:
Romania (from June 22, 1941 – the Kingdom of Romania, until August 23, 1944);
Hungary (from April 6, 1940 – the Kingdom of Hungary, until October 15, 1944); Bulgaria (from April 19, 1941 – the Kingdom of Bulgaria, until September 9, 1944);
Thailand (from January 25, 1942 – the Kingdom of Thailand, until August 16, 1945);
Yugoslavia (the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, March 25-27, 1941) is not a Great Victory?
Probably, these are the days of secret internal mourning of these countries, Western and Eastern “democratic and pseudo-humanitarian countries”, right?
2) How does the Author know that “the real purpose of this sudden announcement of a truce is to throw sand in the eyes of President Trump”? From what sources?
3) Are these concessions – the recognition of Crimea as Russian de jure, despite the fact that this contradicts 90 years of American diplomacy? The results of this work of “US diplomacy” allow the United States to be included in the Guinness Book of Records as the most aggressive country that has carried out the largest number of foreign interventions from its formation to the present. Will the Author find research on this topic himself or does he need help?
4) A positive meeting for 15 minutes? Ridiculous.
Swamplaw Yankee
April 30, 2025 at 3:44 am
The author hits multiple bulls eyes! A needed change from other Yankee scribes trapped in the green glassed inner beltway aquarium.
The administrations “pretends to itself and others” is fodder for review.
The pretence is so blatant. The reaction is so vast. So why is there so much inability in the Trump MAGA elite to facilitate the position of the WEST? The need to return 100% of ancient Ukrainian soil +families is evident.
What is the correct understanding of this cognitive disability? This cognitive state is important to define as the leadership of the WEST is a critical position with huge responsibility. Who has published the most correct analysis?
In a system of checks and balances other components must be functional. However, a long term deficiency exists in the intelligence components. Has the Gabbard brain turned off the flow of reality into the POTUS eyesight? This data must be public. Not a secret scam, where reality is excluded by secrecy deflections.
Mexico and Canada are skewing. Is it true what DeVance states? That huge Han CCP cash is arming the Mexican Cartels, ready for immediate military attack on the USA.
Ukraine is a victim of the USA since 1913-14. The OBAMA cabal greenlighted the “little green groomers” to attack Ukraine! Immediate action by traitor Russian ethnics pointed out little children for air shipment to needy Russian language teachers in Moscow. The MSM refuses to report on the amount of unused, dusty Table tops in Moscow that are now nice and shiny.
Ten years of pretence inside the inner beltway excludes the Trump MAGA cabal as the lone actor. However, Trump may take the fall from the deep state. The Whackooff Weidoe Shame show deflects from the human trafficking of children solution. Putin needs to be forced to pre-pay $10,000,000 in gold bullion for each and every kidnapped child.
So, that is a priority. Lets stop the pretence from the rest of the world that the “unilateral” scam is somehow the most supreme agit-prop just because it comes out of the USA. -30-
5am
April 30, 2025 at 11:28 pm
Mr. Blank is pretending trump is giving putin crimea. Putin took it, obama/europe let him.