A Democracy Drive Thread
Taking Putin’s word over U.S. intelligence, calling the invasion “genius,” blaming Ukraine for the war Russia started, cutting off its weapons and intelligence, and dismantling the tools used to hold Russia to account.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, the United States had led the effort to arm Ukraine, sanction Moscow and document Russian war crimes. This thread tracks, in chronological order and with sources, how Trump and his administration handled Vladimir Putin and the war: his first-term deference to Putin, his praise for the invasion, and, after his return to office, the votes alongside Russia at the U.N., the pressure on Ukraine to give up land and minerals, the cutoffs of aid and intelligence, the shutdown of programs that tracked Russian war crimes and disinformation, and the offers of sanctions relief. The entries are presented in order so the pattern speaks for itself.
May 8, 2017
In his own words
Dodson, co-author of Arnold Palmer’s autobiography, told WBUR’s Only A Game the remark came during a round at a Trump course in North Carolina. Eric Trump called the story “completely fabricated.”
“Well, we don’t rely on American banks. We have all the funding we need out of Russia.”
November 11, 2017
In his own words
“Every time he sees me, he said: ‘I didn’t do that,’” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One. “He said he absolutely did not meddle in our election.”
“Every time he sees me, he said, ‘I didn’t do that.’ And I believe — I really believe — that when he tells me that, he means it.”
July 16, 2018
In his own words
Asked whom he believed, Trump said, “I don’t see any reason why it would be” Russia. Sen. John McCain called it “one of the most disgraceful performances by an American president in memory.” Trump later said he had misspoken.
“I have great confidence in my intelligence people, but I will tell you that President Putin was extremely strong and powerful in his denial today.”
January 12, 2019
On the ground
There was no detailed record, even in classified files, of Trump’s face-to-face conversations with Putin at five locations over two years. Former officials said it broke with past presidents, who had aides witness and record such meetings. Trump called the story “ridiculous.”
January 27, 2019
On the ground
Treasury said Deripaska had reduced his stake and “severed his control.” Deripaska himself remained under sanctions. A Senate effort to block the move fell short of 60 votes despite 11 Republicans supporting it.
July 25, 2019
In his own words
Trump asked Ukraine to investigate Biden, his leading 2020 rival, and to pursue a theory that Ukraine, not Russia, had interfered in 2016. The House impeached him on December 18, 2019 for abuse of power (230–197) and obstruction of Congress (229–198).
“I would like you to do us a favor, though.”
February 22, 2022
In his own words
Trump made the remarks on the Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Show. Two days later Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
“This is genius.”
September 25, 2024
In his own words
“So many dead people, any deal, even the worst deal, would have been better than what we have right now,” Trump said, as Zelensky visited the U.S.
“We continue to give billions of dollars to a man who refuses to make a deal.”
October 17, 2024
In his own words
On the PBD Podcast, Trump called Zelensky “the greatest salesman” and said “Ukraine… is not Ukraine anymore.” Russia launched the war by invading Ukraine in February 2022.
“He should never have let that war start.”
February 5, 2025
On the ground
Prosecutors returned to their old posts and resources were moved to cartels. The task force had indicted Oleg Deripaska and seized yachts belonging to sanctioned oligarchs Suleiman Kerimov and Viktor Vekselberg.
February 11, 2025
In his own words
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent presented the proposal in Kyiv. Zelensky said it went beyond his powers and Ukraine’s constitution: “You can’t charge us $500 billion and ask us to return 500 billion in minerals, this is a frivolous conversation.”
February 13, 2025
In his own words
Canada, chairing the G7, said it firmly opposed readmitting Russia.
“I’d love to have them back. I think it was a mistake to throw them out.”
February 14, 2025
In his own words
Vance said the annulment rested on “flimsy suspicions from an intelligence agency.” Elon Musk, then running DOGE, called the judge who voted to annul it a “tyrant” and later asked, “How can a judge end democracy in Romania?” Romanian prosecutors detained Georgescu for questioning on February 26.
February 18, 2025
In his own words
He called Zelensky “a modestly successful comedian” who talked the U.S. into spending “$350 Billion Dollars” on a war “that never had to start.” Ukraine’s constitution bars elections under martial law, imposed when Russia invaded. Zelensky said Trump was living in a Russian “disinformation bubble.”
“A Dictator without Elections, Zelenskyy better move fast or he is not going to have a Country left.”
February 20, 2025
In his own words
“They’ve taken a lot of territory. They have the cards,” Trump said. U.S. officials stripped references to “Russian aggression” from the G7 draft, saying it should not interfere with negotiations, and the G7 failed to agree on a statement.
“I think they have the cards a little bit, because they’ve taken a lot of territory. They have the cards.”
On the ground
February 24, 2025
On the ground
The Ukrainian resolution passed 93–18. The U.S. offered its own resolution that didn’t mention the invasion, then abstained on it after Europeans amended it to name Russia’s “full-scale invasion.”
February 25, 2025
In his own words
“Yeah, possibly. I know some Russian oligarchs that are very nice people.”
February 26, 2025
In his own words
Trump blamed NATO’s growth for the war. The White House asked State and Treasury to list sanctions that could be lifted in talks with Russia. Putin said Moscow and Washington could make a deal on rare earths in Russia and in parts of Ukraine Russia occupies.
“NATO — you can forget about.”
February 27, 2025
In his own words
Prime Minister Keir Starmer had come to argue that Ukraine and Europe must be at the table.
“I think he’ll keep his word. I’ve spoken to him, I’ve known him for a long time now, we had to go through the Russian hoax together.”
February 28, 2025
On the ground
Zelensky had argued that Trump and Vance were trusting Russia too much. The planned signing and joint news conference were called off. Months later Vance called the confrontation “probably the most famous thing I’ve ever done.”
“You’re gambling with the lives of millions of people. You’re gambling with World War III.”
On the ground
Of 64 U.S. staff and contractors on the ground, eight were to remain. Officials warned the grid would be left vulnerable.
March 1, 2025
On the ground
Cyber Command began preparing a risk assessment of the suspended operations and the ongoing Russian threat. The order did not apply to the NSA.
March 2, 2025
In his own words
Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that if “the political will of the two leaders, President Putin and President Trump, is maintained, this path can be quite quick and successful.”
“The new administration is rapidly changing all foreign policy configurations. This largely coincides with our vision.”
In his own words
“We should spend less time worrying about Putin, and more time worrying about migrant rape gangs, drug lords, murderers, and people from mental institutions entering our country — so that we don’t end up like Europe!”
March 3, 2025
In his own words
No U.S. president had given Ukrainian land to Russia; Russia seized Crimea in 2014. Zelensky said he was ready to sign the deal but would not apologize.
“The only President who gave none of Ukraine’s land to Putin’s Russia is President Donald J. Trump.”
On the ground
Aid was frozen until Trump decided Ukraine’s leaders were making a genuine effort toward peace. The same day the White House asked State and Treasury to draft a list of Russia sanctions that could be eased, including on some oligarchs.
“If the US stops being (an arms supplier) or suspends these supplies, it will probably be the best contribution to the cause of peace.”
March 4, 2025
In his own words
Britain and France were the only countries publicly committed to a peacekeeping force. Britain’s shadow defense secretary called it “deeply disrespectful.” Vance said he hadn’t meant the U.K. or France.
March 5, 2025
On the ground
On the ground
The talks reportedly involved Yulia Tymoshenko and members of Petro Poroshenko’s party; both publicly opposed elections during the war. A poll at the time had Zelensky at 44%, Poroshenko at 10% and Tymoshenko under 6%.
March 6, 2025
In his own words
There was an audible gasp at the Council on Foreign Relations. The same day Reuters reported the administration planned to revoke the temporary legal status of about 240,000 Ukrainians who had fled to the U.S.
“Very candidly, they brought it on themselves — the Ukrainians.”
March 7, 2025
On the ground
A White House source said Trump was angry that Europe appeared to be “pushing for war.” He also suggested the U.S. might not defend NATO allies that miss his spending targets.
March 8, 2025
On the ground
The Telegraph reported the move as part of Trump’s pivot away from Europe, days after he paused aid and intelligence-sharing with Ukraine.
March 17, 2025
On the ground
The U.S. had joined the International Centre for the Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression in 2023 and was its only non-European member. The administration also scaled back the War Crimes Accountability Team.
March 18, 2025
On the ground
Researchers lost access to satellite imagery and other data. A person familiar with the program said cancelling the contract deleted $26 million worth of war-crimes evidence.
March 21, 2025
In his own words
He made the remark in the Oval Office while announcing that Boeing would build the sixth-generation fighter.
March 23, 2025
In his own words
Witkoff predicted a “complete ceasefire” within “a couple of weeks.”
“I tend to believe that President Putin is operating in good faith… and I take him at his word.”
March 27, 2025
On the ground
Ukraine’s prime minister said aid given before the deal would not count toward it.
March 28, 2025
On the ground
A 2024 indictment charged two RT employees with funneling $10 million to Tenet to pay influencers to amplify divisions in the U.S. Prosecutors said the influencers did not know about the Russian funding. Pool was reportedly paid $100,000 per episode.
April 14, 2025
In his own words
The U.S. told G7 partners it was “working to preserve the space to negotiate peace.” The attack came two days after envoy Steve Witkoff met Putin for nearly five hours in St. Petersburg.
“You don’t start a war against someone 20 times your size and then hope that people give you some missiles.”
April 16, 2025
On the ground
Martin had not listed the appearances on his Senate questionnaire. Trump later withdrew the nomination.
On the ground
The office, the successor to the Global Engagement Center, was closed under acting undersecretary Darren Beattie. Officials said it left the U.S. largely defenseless against foreign influence campaigns.
On the ground
The resolution passed 105–9. A U.S. representative said it “reiterates certain declarations on the Russia–Ukraine war that the United States does not consider helpful to advancing the cause of peace.”
April 18, 2025
On the ground
“We need to determine very quickly now, and I’m talking about a matter of days, whether or not this is doable,” Rubio said in Paris.
April 23, 2025
In his own words
Trump wrote that Crimea “was lost years ago under the auspices of President Barack Hussein Obama, and is not even a point of discussion.”
April 25, 2025
In his own words
“Obviously, people know that when I said that, it was said in jest,” Trump said. CNN found it was a “sober staple” of his prepared rally remarks in 2023 and 2024.
“Obviously, people know that when I said that, it was said in jest.”
April 29, 2025
In his own words
Trump said Putin now “wants to stop the war” and “would like to make a deal.” The interview was combative; Trump told ABC’s Terry Moran, “I don’t trust you.”
May 12, 2025
In his own words
He made the comments to Breitbart. Zelensky had proposed meeting Putin in Istanbul; Putin did not attend.
May 15, 2025
In his own words
Trump had pressed for Putin and Zelensky to meet in Turkey. The same day Bloomberg reported the U.S. had offered to revive the NATO-Russia Council, frozen since the 2022 invasion, as part of its peace proposal.
“I didn’t think it was possible for Putin to go if I’m not there.”
May 20, 2025
On the ground
Trump had threatened tariffs and sanctions if Russia refused the ceasefire. A White House official told the Times that new sanctions could harm business interests. Trump posted that peace would be a “tremendous opportunity for Russia to create massive amounts of jobs and wealth. Its potential is UNLIMITED.”
May 21, 2025
In his own words
Asked by Rep. Bill Keating, Rubio said “crimes have been committed, and there will be accountability,” but that the goal was to end the war. In 2017 Rubio had said: “It should not be hard to say that Vladimir Putin’s military has conducted war crimes in Aleppo.”
May 26, 2025
In his own words
“I’ve always had a very good relationship with Vladimir Putin of Russia, but something has happened to him,” Trump wrote. He raised the possibility of more sanctions.
“I’ve always had a very good relationship with Vladimir Putin of Russia, but something has happened to him. He has gone absolutely CRAZY!”
June 5, 2025
On the ground
June 6, 2025
On the ground
Sen. Roger Wicker said Trump had asked the Senate to postpone the vote.
June 16, 2025
In his own words
Sitting beside Prime Minister Mark Carney on June 16, 2025, Trump said removing Russia from the G8 was “a very big mistake” and that “you wouldn’t have a war right now if you had Russia in,” blaming Obama and “a person named Trudeau.” Russia was suspended in 2014 after it seized Crimea from Ukraine, under Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper; Trudeau did not become prime minister until November 2015. Trump left the summit early.
“They threw Russia out, which I claimed was a very big mistake.”
June 17, 2025
On the ground
The group drew on State, Treasury, the Pentagon and intelligence agencies; its options included curbing goods reaching Russia through third countries. The National Security Council’s entire Ukraine team had been dismissed weeks earlier.
July 2, 2025
On the ground
Withheld items included dozens of Patriot interceptors, more than 250 GMLRS rockets, over 100 Hellfire missiles and Stinger launchers. NBC reported Defense Secretary Hegseth halted the shipment despite internal assessments that it would not hurt U.S. readiness.
On the ground
Trump reversed the pause days later.
August 5, 2025
In his own words
India had pointed out that the U.S. still imports Russian uranium hexafluoride, palladium, fertilizers and chemicals. “I’d have to check,” Trump said.
“I don’t know anything about it.”
August 8, 2025
On the ground
Trump set the 50-day deadline on July 14, then shortened it. Envoy Steve Witkoff met Putin in Moscow on August 6, and Trump called it “highly productive.” Days later he said he would make a “very important decision” within two weeks.
August 11, 2025
In his own words
Zelensky had said “Ukrainians will not give their land to the occupier.” Trump said there would be “some land swapping going on.” The summit was in Alaska.
“He’s got approval to go into war and kill everybody, but he needs approval to do a land swap — because there’ll be some land swapping going on.”
August 13, 2025
In his own words
Hackers targeted sealed criminal cases, with attention to defendants with Russian and Eastern European surnames.
“Are you surprised? They hack in, that’s what they do. They’re good at it, we’re good at it — we’re actually better at it.”
August 15, 2025
On the ground
“I’ve always had a fantastic relationship with President Putin, with Vladimir,” Trump said. Expected to last hours, the talks ended in under three. Asked “Next time in Moscow?”, Trump said, “I’ll get a little heat on that one, but I could see it possibly happening.”
“I’ve always had a fantastic relationship with President Putin, with Vladimir.”
On the ground
Hotel guests found eight pages in the business center of the Hotel Captain Cook. One line read: “POTUS to President Putin… American Bald Eagle Desk Statue.”
August 17, 2025
In his own words
“No getting back Obama given Crimea (12 years ago, without a shot being fired!), and NO GOING INTO NATO BY UKRAINE.”
August 21, 2025
On the ground
The July 20 directive gave no reason.
August 24, 2025
On the ground
Only Defense Secretary Hegseth could approve such strikes under a process developed by Pentagon policy chief Elbridge Colby, reversing Biden’s late decision to permit them.
August 30, 2025
On the ground
Officials said Section 333 assistance would be “set at zero for all European countries,” with funds cut off at the end of September 2026. European countries near Russia said they were puzzled.
September 3, 2025
In his own words
The Kremlin said Putin was not conspiring and suggested Trump was being ironic. Trump told CBS the Russia war “I thought, would have been on the easier side.”
“Please give my warmest regards to Vladimir Putin, and Kim Jong Un, as you conspire against The United States of America.”
September 11, 2025
In his own words
“No, it wasn’t a mistake,” Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski wrote. Prime Minister Donald Tusk said: “We would also wish that the drone attack on Poland was a mistake. But it wasn’t. And we know it.”
October 15, 2025
In his own words
“To the best of our knowledge, I am not aware of any conversation between PM Modi and President Trump yesterday,” India’s foreign ministry spokesman said.
“He has assured me there will be no oil purchased from Russia.”
October 17, 2025
On the ground
The Financial Times reported Trump repeated talking points Putin had used on their call; Putin had told him Tomahawks would “cause significant damage” to relations. The Washington Post reported Trump “went on and on” about the Nobel. At the same meeting he called a Kremlin envoy’s proposed “Putin–Trump tunnel” under the Bering Strait “interesting.” Trump later backed freezing the front line.
“I did actually say, would you mind if I gave a couple of thousands of Tomahawks to your opposition?”
November 20, 2025
On the ground
The rest of the frozen funds would go to a joint U.S.–Russia investment vehicle. Zaporizhzhia and Kherson would be frozen along the front line.
“$100 billion in frozen Russian assets will be invested in US-led efforts to rebuild and invest in Ukraine; the US will receive 50% of the profits from this venture.”
November 22, 2025
In his own words
Rounds said the plan “looked more like it was written in Russian to begin with.” The senators spoke at the Halifax International Security Forum.
November 25, 2025
On the ground
In the October 14 call reported by Bloomberg, Witkoff advised Yuri Ushakov on when Putin should call Trump before Zelensky’s visit and how Moscow could float a roughly 20-point plan. Neither the Kremlin nor the White House disputed the recording.
December 5, 2025
On the ground
Trump’s National Security Strategy warns that Europe faces “civilizational erasure” from immigration and calls for “cultivating resistance” by backing nationalist parties such as Germany’s AfD. German intelligence classifies the AfD as extremist. European leaders said they were shocked to be described as an ideological threat, in language past strategies reserved for countries like Russia.
December 15, 2025
In his own words
Talks stalled on territory. “Those guarantees are on the table right now if there’s a conclusion that’s reached in a good way,” a U.S. official said.
“Those guarantees will not be on the table forever.”
December 25, 2025
On the ground
Chen lost her U.S. work visa after the 2024 indictment of Tenet’s Russian funders. Adviser Joe Rittenhouse said her return “would not be possible without new Leadership at the Whitehouse, FBI, CBP, and State Department.”
January 19, 2026
On the ground
The board’s draft charter asked members for $1 billion to stay beyond three years. Russia skipped the launch in Davos and said it was still “studying” the invitation.
January 27, 2026
On the ground
The White House denied the FT’s account. A senior Ukrainian official said the U.S. “stops each time the security guarantees can be signed.”
January 28, 2026
On the ground
Estonia’s foreign affairs chair said a photo of “the greatest war criminal of the 21st century” on the White House wall meant peace “will have to wait.” Sen. Mark Warner: “Putting Putin above the American people and his own family.” A White House spokeswoman called the summit “a historic moment.”
January 29, 2026
In his own words
Russia had been pounding Ukraine’s energy grid, leaving many without heat in midwinter.
“I personally asked President Putin not to fire on Kyiv and the cities and towns for a week during this extraordinary cold.”
February 14, 2026
In his own words
“Too often those concessions are discussed in the context only of Ukraine, not Russia,” Zelensky said.
February 19, 2026
On the ground
In 2025 the U.S. had opposed inviting Zelensky to the leaders’ session of the Hague summit.
March 6, 2026
In his own words
Russia reportedly passed Iran the locations of U.S. warships and aircraft. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News: “Whether or not this happened, frankly, it does not really matter, because President Trump and the United States military are absolutely decimating the rogue Iranian terrorist regime.”
“Whether or not this happened, frankly, it does not really matter.”
March 12, 2026
On the ground
The 30-day licenses ran from March 12 to June 17. Russia took in at least $12.8 billion in oil taxes in the first half of April, double its March haul, and the IEA said its oil export revenue jumped to $19 billion a month, from a post-invasion low of $9.75 billion in February.
March 13, 2026
In his own words
Zelensky had offered the interceptors at an August 18 White House meeting; two U.S. officials told Axios that snubbing the offer was one of the administration’s biggest tactical miscalculations of the war. Ukraine sent drone experts to three Middle East countries and to help protect U.S. bases in Jordan.
“The last person we need help from is Zelensky.”
March 21, 2026
In his own words
Mueller, a decorated Vietnam veteran, led the FBI from 2001 to 2013. His investigation produced charges against 34 people, including Trump associates and Russian intelligence officers.
“Good, I’m glad he’s dead. He can no longer hurt innocent people!”
March 25, 2026
In his own words
March 27, 2026
On the ground
Republican Sen. Roger Wicker and Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen pressed Secretary Rubio and Treasury Secretary Bessent on the national-security implications. Rep. Joe Wilson compared it to “having visitors of the Third Reich.”
April 1, 2026
On the ground
The threat targeted the PURL program, through which European partners pay for U.S. weapons for Ukraine.
April 7, 2026
On the ground
In the October 2025 call reported by Bloomberg, Orbán compared himself to a mouse helping a lion.
“In any matter where I can be of assistance, I am at your service.”
April 14, 2026
In his own words
“It’s one of the things I’m proudest that we’ve done in this administration is we’ve told Europe that if you want to buy weapons, you can, but the United States is not buying weapons and sending them to Ukraine anymore.”
April 21, 2026
In his own words
Witkoff met Putin in person five times in 2025 and twice more with Kushner. Former Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun called it “an embarrassment to the United States of America.”
“It is disrespectful to come to Moscow and not Kyiv.”