Russian President Vladimir Putin, a former intelligence officer, has laid a "trap" for President-elect Donald Trump, a Washington Post columnist warned Friday — and Trump must do all he can to "avoid being outplayed."
Josh Rogin, a columnist for the paper's Global Opinions section, wrote that Putin cynically plans to "use negotiations to buy more time for his aggression," knowing that Trump has vowed to swiftly end the war.
"Trump must avoid this trap," said Rogan.
But Trump's ambition for a quick end to the conflict plays directly into Russia's hands, he said.
ALSO READ: Trump intel advisor Devin Nunes still dismisses Russian election meddling as a 'hoax'
"For Putin, who said Thursday he is ready to meet Trump soon, the deadline is an invitation to stall and extract concessions, knowing Trump might value speed over substance. By engaging in talks while escalating military pressure, Putin can string the United States along without making meaningful compromises," said Rogin.
He added: "If Trump hopes to avoid being outplayed, he will need to recognize what every recent president has learned: Putin’s goal is not peace but dominance. He responds only to pressure."
Putin has said he will only agree to peace if Ukraine surrenders four regions under Russian occupation, and promise to remain neutral.
For his part, Rogin said Trump has certain skills that could benefit him in such a high-stakes negotiation: namely his "instincts as a businessman."
"He understands leverage, and most of his aides understand that he must negotiate from a position of strength," said Rogin.
Even so, Trump's team has said they want to reach a deal within 100 days — a quick timeline that works against him.
"The only way to compel Putin to make concessions is to increase the cost of his aggression. This means ramping up military aid to Ukraine, imposing harsher sanctions on Russia and bolstering NATO’s presence in Eastern Europe," said Rogin. "Trump, who says he wants a deal, might have to take the long road to get there: recognize Putin’s game, increase support for Ukraine and use U.S. leverage wisely."
He concluded: That will take much longer than 100 days. But if Trump can adapt quickly, he might avoid the trap Putin has in store for him."