I think Trump wanted a peace deal.
I think Putin figured Trump only has a little over three years left in office and figured the next POTUS could just push to restart the war.
IOW, it’s probably not animus towards Trump.
3 and a half years. Putin is in a bind. Being stubborn keeps him going in spite of Russian casualties. He’ll melt down. The only weapon he’ll soon have left are the nukes. If we stand strong like Reagan did someone over there in Russia will come to their senses. Too many deaths. He’s in danger of assuming room temperature.
Could Ukraine retrieve all its lost territory? If Russian the public melts down I could see the Ukes wanting to settle for more than their territory.
How about punching Belarus in the nose?They’re owed. Then there’s the Norks. If they’re in Ukraine hold them as hostages, fatten them up-maybe offer them asylum in South Korea. Are there any Cubans fighting there? Do the same.
And when Trump wants that he wants a cease-fire, he offered Russia nothing. Sanctions will not be lifted, no connecting back into swift, no resumption of airline flights, no dropping of ICC cases, no reopening Northstream, no return of the stolen hundreds of billions of Russian currency and gold on deposit in western banks.
So keeping the sanctions on, and flooding Ukraine with peacekeepers, protected NATO – light status, weapon etc. Ukraine isn’t going to defeat Russia, there’s no reason for Russia to accept those terms.
And you’re correct, in 3 1/2 years he’ll be gone, and there’s a very decent chance he’ll be facing a democrat Congress a little over a year from now.
Russian play chess, Trump is playing checkers.