Why Putin Sends His Banker, Not His Diplomat | Weekend Update (video commentary)

11/07/2026

WARNING: Contains disturbing footage from the Komyshuvakha bombing.

Enjoy this bonus installment of my Weekend Update. After watching what went on in the White House this week I couldn’t hold back.

⛊ You can also watch my Weekend Updates on Substack: https://sostrovsky.sub…

Fifty-three dead in Komyshuvakha. Rescuers still pulling bodies from the rubble. And at the White House? Melania Trump celebrates alongside Putin’s envoy Kirill Dmitriev while Donald Trump confirms he met the Russian side but not Ukraine’s delegation.

Melania deserves credit for helping evacuate civilians from Oleshky. But welcoming Russian officials while Russia bombs people collecting food aid deserves outrage. We examine Dmitriev’s longstanding ties to Trump’s circle and the business interests surrounding the push for a peace deal.