Mikhail Zygar never ceases to astonish me with his reporting on the Kremlin and analysis of the war in Ukraine.

The Russian journalist and author or The Last Pioneer newsletter told me earlier that Putin likely won’t be disappointed by Trump’s recent disparaging remarks about being disappointed in him and his failure to show up for peace talks, nor his claim on Truth Social that Kyiv can reclaim its lost territory in the war.

As proof, Mikhail quoted a post on Telegram by former Russian president, Dmitry Medvedev, mocking Trump’s “alternate reality”.

Medvedev’s post concludes about Trump: “I have no doubt that he’ll make another U-turn. He always does. He’ll probably ask the green pianist sign the capitulation in a couple of days. Or maybe fly to Mars with Musk, freshly forgiven. Or do something else very important—something that just might earn him a Nobel Prize.”

Mikhail points out – not for the first time – that Putin doesn’t need to win the war, to accomplish victory; he just needs it to keep going.

Watch the full conversation on Vicky Ward Investigates.