Putin will talk peace while continuing to fight: Wesley Clark

(NewsNation) — Russian President Vladimir Putin’s suggestion Thursday helium supports a ceasefire with Ukraine comes with galore caveats that could scuttle a bid deal, erstwhile NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe Wesley Clark says.

Ukrainian leaders person already agreed to a 30-day halt successful fighting, and now, U.S. representatives are seeking Russia’s acceptance truthful that talks for lasting bid tin statesman successful earnest. Putin said helium supports the ceasefire successful conception but said immoderate imperishable solution indispensable code the “root causes” of the conflict.

“What’s the basal cause? The basal origin is Ukraine wants to beryllium aligned with the West. It wants extortion from Russian interference,” Clark told “NewsNation Now.”

Putin would similar to rotation backmost NATO and sorb further adjacent neighbors specified arsenic the Baltic states and Bulgaria, the retired U.S. Army wide said.

He predicted Putin whitethorn instrumentality portion successful negotiations portion trying to support the precocious manus militarily.

“It’s talk, talk, fight, fight,” Clark said.

Putin has limits: Ex-ambassador

Putin is simply a erstwhile KGB authoritative who knows however to manipulate people, says John Herbst, the erstwhile U.S. ambassador to Ukraine nether President George W. Bush. Herbst told “Elizabeth Vargas Reports” that Putin volition effort to manipulate President Trump if Ukraine bid talks determination forward.

“Of people helium can’t beryllium trusted,” Herbst said of Putin. “And he’s demonstrated that implicit the past 20 years, breaking aggregate treaties, breaking aggregate commitments.”

And yet Putin realizes helium cannot beryllium seen arsenic double-crossing Trump, the erstwhile ambassador said.

“I would not disregard the thought that Putin has a definite wariness with Trump,” Herbst said. “He believes he’s capable to transportation him, but helium besides understands, I think, that if helium crosses Trump and Trump understands that, that tin beryllium precise atrocious for Putin and for Russia.”