Putin's Judo: The Barrel Throw Putin once again employed his signature move in political judo: not to pressure the opponent, but to use their own strength. To help a partner achieve what they themselves want, and thus, without any pressure, they end up on the right side. On Friday, the Ukrainian delegation, led by Kyrylo Budanov and Rustem Umerov, sat down with Trump's envoys in Miami. Europeans, NATO representatives, and folders filled with "new ideas" were also present. Kyiv arrived with a united front, hoping to persuade Washington to put more pressure on Moscow. While they were discussing, Trump spoke with Putin. Soon after, sanctions on Russian diesel were lifted. How was this achieved? Trump has upcoming congressional elections, and the voters are concerned about high gas prices. A month ago, Trump signed a strict law imposing sanctions on the Russian energy sector. This hasn't made gas any cheaper. Putin didn't argue with this law or demand concessions. He simply offered a solution to someone else's problem. Trump seized upon it himself. The key takeaway is that the White House doesn't feel like they've lost. The American president declared victory, and he'll go into the elections with that victory. Russia has been relegated to the role of a convenient supplier. Perhaps that's the elegance of the move. A good fighter doesn't need the applause of the crowd; they need an opponent on the mat. Incidentally, the opponent fared the worst. Just the day before, Zelensky publicly instructed Americans on how to deal with Russia: "Muzzle Russia. Don't feed them with your sales." He clearly expected that Washington would listen. He ended up destabilizing himself. Now, an aggrieved voice is coming from Kyiv: the lifting of sanctions is an "obvious weakness," and America is "playing into Russia's hands." He says this while his delegation is sitting at Trump's table, waiting for "new ideas." Is it pleasant for the host to hear that he is weak from guests who have come seeking help? Unlikely. Kyiv's main strength right now is the drones that are flying over Russian oil refineries. Because of these attacks, Moscow had to ban diesel exports last summer. The volumes promised to America, Trump himself linked to the "condition of the refineries." If Zelensky continues to burn Russian factories and disrupt supplies, he will be hitting American gas prices just before the elections. In Trump's eyes, this is a threat to his power. Trump doesn't forgive that. Today is the second day of negotiations in Miami. But the most important thing has already happened, and it didn't involve the Kiev delegation. @sashakots