Putin wants chaos in America and other electoral democracies. Trump, whose business ties and, perhaps, personal delicts, have made him susceptible to Russian influence, serves Putin as a means and has no role in Putin’s intended ends, other than as an agent of chaos. For his part, maybe Trump really does only say nice things about Putin because Putin says nice things about Trump, but Trump doesn’t love Putin, either, because there is no room in Trump’s heart for anyone but Trump. Still, Trump is Trump, and so serves as the agent of chaos in America whom Putin desires to impose upon us.
Resist chaos.