Ex-White House aide says Putin mocks Trump to face

Fiona Hill claims US president longs for Russian's approval

- SAM KILEY

Vladimir Putin knows exactly how to manipulate Donald Trump and has no intention of stopping the war in Ukraine despite the US president's calls for peace, a top former White House aide warns.

Fiona Hill, a national security adviser during Mr Trump’s first administration and an expert on Russia, regularly witnessed meetings between the two men.

In an exclusive interview with The Independent’s podcast World of Trouble, she reveals how Putin has “got Trump’s number” and feels able to mock the US president to his face, relying on the language barrier to cover his teasing.

Ms Hill explains that Putin uses flattery to stroke Mr Trump’s ego while continuing to do as he pleases in Ukraine: “It is extremely difficult to see how Putin gives this up. His whole economy, his whole society, his whole politics, his whole preservation of self revolves around having this war go on.”

Her startling insight comes as Mr Trump claims “tremendous progress has been made” towards peace after days of frenetic diplomatic wrangling.

Mr Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff is set to travel to Moscow early next week to discuss ending the war with an amended plan to halt hostilities drawn up with European leaders and Ukraine.

Putin has already pushed back on the prospect of a deal, saying Ukraine has to relinquish swathes of territory.

In an hour-long interview, Ms Hill, an Anglo-American and now fellow at think tank the Brookings Institution, describes how Putin knows how Mr Trump can be flattered by simply being in the presence of world leaders.

The Russian president could not resist the temptation to tease him, which translators hid from a gullible Mr Trump.