Journalist Vitaly Portnikov shared his opinions with Espreso TV."Donald Trump's entire stay on the U.S. political Olympus is an imitation mixed with stupidity. We observe this imitation mixed with stupidity when we talk about all his actions related to the ultimatum to Putin. The time for the ultimatum is running out, Trump is disappointed with Putin and says that he hoped for a different reaction from the Russian president. However, Trump is not putting real pressure on Putin and does not have real tools for this pressure. Trump does not understand what to do when the whole world is convinced of his helplessness and Putin's absolute indifference to the measures that the American president can take against him. Putin is now trying to use this situation for his diplomatic victory. The first such victory was given to him when Trump first called him. Because President Biden has made a lot of efforts to diplomatically isolate Putin. Yes, this does not end the war, but at least it reminds us where is good and where is evil. Trump interrupted this line. He started talking to Putin and putting Russia and Ukraine on the same board," Portnikov explained.The journalist emphasized that if the talks between Trump and Putin fail to produce tangible results leading to a just resolution of the war, it will signify Russia’s return to major global politics."A meeting between Trump and Putin, if they fail to reach any agreements on a just end to the war, will be another brilliant political victory for the Russian leader. Putin will return to the world of big politics as the leader of a real superpower, to whom no other world leaders can dictate anything. A leader of a state that is in strategic relations with the head of China and speaks with the U.S. president in the tone of an equal player. In addition, the U.S. president himself is forced to agree to a meeting with Putin, come to this meeting, but not achieve any results if they do not meet the interests of the Russian president. Trump, throughout his entire tenure as U.S. president, has been building a real monument that Putin wants to climb in order to remain there for all the years of his power in Russia," he concluded.On August 7, Russia and the United States agreed on a meeting between their leaders — Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump. Later, Putin stated that the UAE is a likely venue for talks with the U.S. president, while also calling a meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy possible, but said it is “still a long way off.”The next day, Fox News reported that a meeting between U.S. and Russian leaders could take place next Monday in Rome.