The Economist: Donald Trump seeks a grand bargain with Vladimir Putin.

“Even as his ambassador to the UN offered “clear and strong condemnation“ of “Russia’s aggressive actions“ in Ukraine, the president’s bromance with Mr Putin was still smouldering. When an interviewer on Fox News put it to Mr Trump this week that Mr Putin is “a killer“ , he retorted: “There are a lot of killers. What, you think our country’s so innocent?“

For an American president to suggest that his own country is as murderous as Russia is unprecedented, wrong and a gift to Moscow’s propagandists. And for Mr Trump to think that Mr Putin has much to offer America is a miscalculation not just of Russian power and interests, but also of the value of what America might have to give up in return.”