This opinion was expressed on Espreso TV by international affairs expert and political scientist Bohdan Ferens.“I don’t think Trump was ever dazzled by the glamour of the Kremlin or Putin, only to suddenly realize the truth about them. Trump and his circle have always understood who Putin is and what Russia represents. However, it’s possible that Trump hasn’t had direct dealings with Putin since 2022 — and that matters. Putin and the Kremlin have significantly changed since then — in behavior, aggression, rhetoric, and actions — compared to the Putin Trump interacted with during his first presidential term from 2016 to 2020,” Ferens said.According to the international affairs expert, Trump believed he could achieve a quick peace — which is why he initially focused on personal meetings, intense dialogue, and bold rhetoric. However, his advisers and relevant agencies warned him that the Russians have a long-standing tradition of dragging out negotiations. This tactic, dating back to Soviet times, aims to exhaust opponents and buy time to strengthen positions — whether militarily or through other means of influence.“I believe the Americans were also prepared for the developments we’re now witnessing. The Kremlin indeed wants to reestablish communication with Washington — this remains a top priority for them. But at the same time, Putin isn’t prepared to hand Trump the kind of cards he often talks about — the kind that would allow him to boast, ‘I achieved results.’ Putin was never really ready for that. So we saw various formats and attempts, but Trump ultimately failed — something he now openly admits,” Ferens said.The expert added that the current format of meetings with Russia, which is yielding certain results, remains in place.“But it is not worth expecting that, for example, the Istanbul meeting, which is to take place this week, will change anything dramatically,” Ferens stressed.Volodymyr Ohryzko, Ukraine's foreign minister from 2007 to 2009 and head of the Center for Russian Studies, thinks that the talks, which Russia presents as diplomatic efforts, are really just a cover for more aggression against Ukraine, since Putin has no plans to stop.