To the extent that Putin had any redeeming value on the world stage or the respect of any other legitimate leader (Countries like Japan, South Korea, Canada, U.K., Germany, etc) prior to invading Ukraine – a second time, this year, he had very little and very limited to certain policy areas. Putin has now blown up not only whatever value the world saw in him and he’s done it in a way to guarantee that none, none, is ever coming back.

So long as he is the head of the Russian government, he – and Russia (somewhat sadly) will be shunned and punished in an ongoing manner.

It has been obvious since at least 2015 that Russia preferred one American party over the other. Given that Russia was an adversary working against American interests even at the time, this should not have been a badge of honor and yet the Republicans acted as though it was nothing. Does it need to be said? When a foreign adversary wholly favors your party over the other, there is a problematic reason?

And then Trump came along and from the beginning it was clear, he was pro-Russia and proud of it. “Wouldn’t it be great if we got along with Russia?” Yes, it would. But it would require the Russians to change, not the United States, and they could have started by pulling out of Crimea. Under Trump, it was reversed. It was open, unrepentant. Eight Republican Senators spent their 2018 Fourth of July in Moscow. Goodwill trips are fine but by definition, goodwill trips involve representatives from both parties. They didn’t want both parties. It got so bad that MAGAs wore shirts, I’d rather be Russian than a Democrat, unaware that they were much closer to Russian in their outlook on other Americans.

Now, Russia has nowhere to turn. The world holds them out as a pariah. But maybe one person would give them a shot. Maybe one person could convince his followers that Russia “might” have had a good reason to invade Ukraine or at least an understandable one. They need a leader like Putin, one that can say anything and enough people will believe him.

They need Trump and now they’re calling for him:

Meanwhile on Russian state TV:

Host Evgeny Popov says it's time for the Russian people to call on Americans to change "the regime in the U.S." before its term expires "and to again help our partner Trump to become President."https://t.co/orPMoKoxwG pic.twitter.com/sPVDhVWm6Q

— Julia Davis (@JuliaDavisNews) March 29, 2022

You will not see that on Hannity. You will probably not see it on Tucker. And Trump? Well, it is flattering, maybe he warms up a bit. He never did demand that Putin turnaround. He only said it was horrible.

We’ll see. We do know that Putin will never make a comeback outside – perhaps, the Arabian peninsula or the American MAGA-Right.

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[email protected] on Twitter @JasonMiciak