First President Trump invited him to Anchorage. The tougher Trump is with Russia, the more likely he is to get any kind of traction in negotiations. China has been a steady friend, willing to sell Russia cars and dual-use technology that ends up in drones that are attacking Ukrainian cities. These causes, for Russia, relate to the way it was treated after losing the Cold War. Russia is insisting on maximalist demands that Ukraine cannot agree to, which include control over territory it hasn’t managed to occupy.