Overview

• In a CNN interview on Tuesday, John Bolton said a trilateral format that includes President Trump could alter the dynamic of Russia‑Ukraine negotiations more than a strictly bilateral session.
• Bolton added that he had heard Putin might also have floated bilateral talks, though he emphasized he was not sure that report was accurate.
• He cautioned that Trump’s previous leader‑to‑leader diplomacy with North Korea’s Kim Jong Un “didn’t work out,” and he questioned whether a similar approach would succeed here.
• Bolton criticized Trump’s preparation habits, saying he typically does not read National Security Council briefings and recalling having to brief him during a FIFA match on Air Force One in 2018.
• He previously compared Trump’s invitation to Vladimir Putin—followed by their meeting last Friday—to the controversial plan to bring the Taliban to Camp David.