I was asked about Trump’s apparent sympathy toward Putin.

It’s a concern for me of course, living just 300 miles from Russia’s aggression, but it seems to me like Trump’s opinion of Russia like all his statements has been unfairly exaggerated for the purpose of discrediting him.

He has also sated that he will not be “seduced” by Putin, that Putin has walked all over Obama regarding Ukraine and would not do that to him, and he identifies to the hostilities in Ukraine as an “invasion,” which is more than I can say for Daniel McAdams’s Ron Paul Institute for Peace, or Scott Horton’s Anti-War (which should probably be renamed Anti-America). His latest attack ad against Hilary casts Putin in the role of a tough adversary — which led the Kremlin to voice disapproval.

Trump is very, very smart. I think he’s demonstrating his independence and setting the stage for possible future negotiations.

Earlier this week a friend asked me to write an article about Trump for a Ukrainian newspaper.

Thanks for the question.