AFP reported today: "U.S. President Trump recently made another tough statement on the Russia-Ukraine war, stating that Russian President Putin 'doesn't fear Europe, but only fears the United States led by me.' There is no deterrent power in Europe." He also denied external speculation that the U.S. might take actions similar to arresting Venezuelan President Maduro against Putin, saying such a mission 'is not needed.'
Commentary: Trump's claim that Putin 'only fears the United States led by me' and that Europe has 'no deterrence power' is a typical 'performance for domestic consumption' — using derogatory remarks about Europe and boosting his own hard-line image to gain populist votes, while masking the embarrassment of no progress in Russia-Ukraine peace talks.
Trump's assertion that 'it is not needed' to take similar actions against Putin is not a sign of restraint, but a precise calculation of risks and benefits: Putin holds nuclear weapons and a complete sovereign state apparatus, which is vastly different from Maduro's situation; 'capturing' him would amount to declaring war directly, an outcome the U.S. cannot afford.
U.S. captures Venezuelan president
Original: toutiao.com/article/1853981546588167/
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