So the televised Trump-Zelensky meeting happened. As I noted in my weekly war post:

“I didn't like how the joint press conference looked today. Ukraine is our unofficial ally, I believe. And Russia must be stopped.

Yet I can't help but think Trump and Zelensky had a chuckle together when it was over. Both fully know television optics, yet performed as they did. If the idea is to bolster Zelensky with his people for an election and to trust him to get a good deal; scare Europeans into doing more to help Ukraine and defend themselves; buy some credit with his own conservative base; reassure Russia it can trust Trump to shepherd a peace deal to completion; and warn Putin not to publicly confront Trump, the optics of the event were perfect.

Or it was exactly what it looked like. Hard to say.”