Trump Almost Had Me Fooled

Last December I posted how US envoy to Belarus, John P. Coale, was helping Lukashenko get Zepbound to keep his weight in check. It was part of a charm campaign with Belarus. The U.S. dropped sanctions on Belarusian potash and Belarus freed several hundred political prisoners. I thought this initiative by the Trump administration was an admirable (I've never written that word in the same sentence as "Trump") attempt to woo Belarus away from Putin, to neutralize it as a threat for any future Russian military action against Ukraine or NATO. At the time it seemed like a reasonable move: making nice with a small time dictator without expansionist aspirations, to help block a big time dictator with a propensity for war. Though, at the time I warned that Lukashenko should beware he doesn't lean to far to the West to fast since that could prompt Russia to annex his country.

Seems my read of Trump's initiative was wrong and Trump was just using Belarus as a testing ground for business dealings with odious Eastern European strong-men. Simon Shuster reports in the Atlantic that American negotiator's, including Trumps son-in-law/jack-of-all-trades/utility man, Jared Kushner, is seeking to "pacify" Putin with "prosperity agreements" whereby Russia and the USA can make money on the back of any Ukraine peace deal. According to Kushner, investment is "in some ways, your best security guarantee." According to John P. Coale, "Economic ties usually result in normality." Is this the same Trump who, in 2018, said, "I think it’s very sad when Germany makes a massive oil and gas deal with Russia, where you’re supposed to be guarding against Russia." Economic ties didn't make Russia peaceful then and they won't now. (https://www.theatlantic.com/national-security/2026/09/trump-russia-putin-ukraine-sanctions/688808/)