President Donald Trump gave his Russian counterpart an incredible gift during Friday's summit in Alaska, according to a former White House official.
John Bolton, who served as Trump's national security advisor during his first term, wrote in an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal that the summit accomplished little else for America's allies in Ukraine. However, it did illustrate one of Trump's weak points when it comes to negotiating with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Bolton argued.
For instance, Bolton recounted Trump's argument that "presidents lose nothing" by meeting with rogue leaders like Putin or North Korea's Kim Jong Un "without exacting a price."
"Friday’s summit should clear up Mr. Trump’s misapprehension," Bolton wrote, alluding to the damage the summit caused the U.S. on the international stage.
"Mr. Putin emerged from diplomatic purdah with flags unfurled, literally. How long before Europeans like France’s ever-opportunistic Emmanuel Macron phones Mr. Putin or visits him in Moscow? And how does India, under sanctions from Washington for buying Russian oil, feel about still hanging out to dry?" Bolton continued.
While the summit may have presented an opportunity for Ukraine to dictate the future of negotiations with Russia, Bolton also warned that Trump gave Putin an opportunity of a lifetime by agreeing to meet with him one-on-one.
"He accepted a ride with President Trump in “the Beast,” and one-on-one applied his KGB training to restart one of Moscow’s most effective influence operations ever," Bolton argued. "After the Alaska summit, Mr. Putin could legitimately say, as generations of victorious generals have, 'The day is ours.'"