Trump and Putin: From love to hate is only one step away
(Translated)
News:
Putin threatened Trump to cut ties if Ukraine gets Tomahawk missiles from the United States.
Comment:
Over the past two weeks, we have seen a series of news reports indicating a shift in the policy of the current US administration towards Russia and its invasion of Ukraine.
On September 23, Trump suddenly announced: "I think Ukraine, with the support of the European Union, is able to fight and win, and restore all its territory to its original borders."
On the same day, he also said: "Ukraine can not only recover all its territory, but it can also move forward." He added: "Russia doesn't seem impressive. For them, this was supposed to be quick. It seems the war is not over yet."
On September 26, he stated: "The Russian economy is heading for the abyss. They are bombing everything in sight, and are only taking very little land, if any. In fact, they are losing some of it."
On September 29, the US Special Envoy to Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, announced that Trump had authorized Ukraine to carry out long-range strikes on Russia. On October 2, news reported that Trump had signed an order authorizing the Pentagon and intelligence agencies to assist Ukraine in such strikes.
For the first time, the Trump administration will help Ukraine in long-range attacks. The United States has asked NATO allies to provide similar support to Ukraine. The possibility of supplying Ukraine with Tomahawk and Barracuda missiles is being considered.
In light of this news, it can be assumed that Russia has rejected America's terms for resolving the Ukrainian crisis.
As is known, Russia, several months before the meeting between the American and Russian presidents in Alaska, insisted as a basic condition on Ukraine's recognition of the Crimean Peninsula and the occupied territories in eastern Ukraine for Russia. It seems that Russia, having learned from the bitter experience of the Minsk agreements, fully realizes that any other frozen conflict in exchange for concessions to America will be like a bite from the same snake again. In 2015, Russia intervened - believing America's promises to overlook its aggression against Ukraine - in the Syrian conflict on behalf of America's agent, Bashar al-Assad. This led to the prolongation of al-Assad's rule in Syria, as the United States had not yet found a suitable alternative to him.
In 2022, when Russia realized that no one intended to recognize its control over the annexed Crimean Peninsula and occupied Donbas, it launched an all-out invasion of Ukraine.
By late 2024, the Assad regime had exhausted its forces and was replaced by Ahmed al-Shara, backed by Turkey. Russia realized that it had been exploited, so it was expelled from Syria.
Since then, Russia realizes that any truce or freezing of the conflict in Ukraine would be suicide. That is why it insists so strongly on recognizing its control over the Crimean Peninsula and Donbas.
As for the American negotiating position regarding Ukraine, it goes beyond the current crisis. In essence, the United States is exploiting the conflict in Ukraine to force Russia to cooperate in confronting China.
China today is surrounded on three sides by US allies, most notably Japan, South Korea, India, and Pakistan, along with other regional countries.
A potential alliance between Russia and China would allow China to break this near-complete blockade and access Russia's vast natural resources, which would greatly enhance its military and economic power.
As for China's position, it remains cautious, as it is not ready to actively support Russia at the expense of its extensive trade relations with the United States and the European Union.
It is worth noting that the United States wants to keep the door slightly open, as it is not seeking a comprehensive solution to the Ukrainian crisis, because Russia involved in its invasion will be more flexible. A complete settlement of the Ukrainian crisis, in exchange for a joint move against China, would allow Russia, at any moment, to move away from the West and embrace China.
On the other hand, Russia's fresh wounds after its humiliating expulsion from Syria remind us that agreeing to another Minsk-like agreement is like stepping on the same shovel twice.
Therefore, it was not surprising that Trump stated, as soon as the talks ended: "Now it really depends on President Zelensky to get the job done."
It is noteworthy that this is the same Trump who rebuked President Zelensky in the Oval Office on February 28, 2025, claiming that he had no real arguments and that he depended entirely on American arms supplies.
For its part, Ukraine, as expected, rejected Russia's conditions for recognizing the Crimean Peninsula and Donbas for Russia. On September 15, 2025, the Ukrainian Minister of Finance, Serhiy Marchenko, acknowledged the failure of the peace talks, saying: "We must prepare the army and the people for another year of war, and this will require more money."
On September 19, Rustem Umerov, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine and chief Ukrainian negotiator, stated: "Ukraine is not currently negotiating with Russia to end the war."
A few days later, starting on September 23, President Trump radically changed his rhetoric towards Russia and its invasion of Ukraine.
In conclusion, it is worth noting that the Ukrainian crisis reaffirms that countries, with their sovereignty, resources, lives, and blood, remain hostage to the conflict between the great powers.
Even the great powers that present themselves as friends and defenders of oppressed countries are, in fact, the main instigators and beneficiaries of conflicts. And all that is raised about the right of peoples to self-determination and independence, human rights, and concern for women, the elderly, and children, is nothing but a cover for their vile policies. This situation will continue until the return of the true divine rule of the world represented by the Second Rightly Guided Caliphate according to the method of Prophethood, whose true goal will be the good of all humanity, not empty slogans.
﴿Then they will shake their heads at you and say, "When will that be?" Say, "Perhaps it will be soon."﴾
Written for the Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir Central
Fadl Amzaev
Head of the Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir in Ukraine
