Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin’s call discussing an energy and infrastructure ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine is more proof to a former Trump administration national security counsel that the president is being played — again.
Alexander Vindman took to his X account Tuesday to breakdown the White House and Kremlin’s call about the latest possible ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. He called the possible plan a “terrible deal” that disproportionately aids Russia.
“I don’t understand how Trump, who has four years under his belt with Putin, constantly gets played,” Vindman wrote. “Trump moves to normalize relations with Russia for trinkets. This ceasefire, if it starts and Russia doesn’t violate it, disproportionately helps Russia, whose energy infrastructure is getting pounded by Ukraine. For 35 years, six Republican and Democrat administrations, has succumbed to manipulation. Russia has been extremely successfully dangling small wins and threatening terrible consequences to get the U.S. to compromise and capitulate. But no one has been played as hard as Trump.”
Vindman continued, “He consistently claims grand successes, for at best, token achievements. A phone call isn’t an achievement. A watered down ceasefire in exchange for dividing our alliance is a significant cost.”
Terrible deal. I don’t understand how Trump, who has four years under his belt with Putin, constantly gets played. Trump moves to normalize relations with Russia for trinkets. This ceasefire, if it starts and Russia doesn’t violate it, disproportionately helps Russia, whose… https://t.co/QLozblewci
— Alexander S. Vindman(@AVindman) March 18, 2025
MSNBC host Nicolle Wallace reacted to the proposed ceasefire on “Deadline: White House” Tuesday by highlighting Vindman’s takedown and pointing out there were not any concessions made by Russia in the proposal.
“Notably absent from these announcements made after the call were any signs of any concessions made from Russia, or any talk of any punishment for Russia,” Wallace said. “In short, there were carrots but no sticks.”
Watch the “Deadline” segment below:
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky commented on the ceasefire discussion between Trump and Putin shortly after details were made public. He said Ukraine was open to a ceasefire but not unless they were also a part of those discussions.
“We support all steps aimed at the end of the war. We will support them. But in order to support them, we need to understand what exactly we support,” Zelensky said during a press conference translated by Reuters.
“When President Trump has time, he is a busy man, when he has time, he can call me any time, he has my phone number,” he said. “We are ready to talk through further steps, with pleasure.”
Watch the full MSNBC segment above.
