"My thoughts are Trump will actually get a deal done with Putin on the Ukraine war."
I remain doubtful. About the only way I can see that happening is if Trump pre-emptively ends funding to the Ukraine war effort. The USA couping the Ukraine and funding it's terrorist crimes is what started this war, and if the USA stopped doing that the incentive Russia has to prosecute that war ends - as long as they have secured their relatives in the Donbass from any potential recurrence of violence against them. That requires the Ukraine to cede even more territory than it has already lost in the war, which I don't believe is plausible.
Thanks!