The reason Donald Trump may be so 'supple' to Putin is that the KGB persuaded him of Russia's worldview as far back as the 1980s, Chief Foreign Correspondent Andrew Jehring suggests on the latest Daily Mail Deep Dive podcast.

Jehring presented his theory during a conversation with host Chris Pleasance about a string of recent moves by the US that threaten to hurt Ukraine's war effort.

Last Friday, Trump shockingly announced he would ease sanctions on Russia to allow the sale of its diesel to the US and global markets. 

While it remains to be seen whether Putin can deliver the nearly 5 million tonnes Trump claimed, the deal represents a major easing of diplomatic and economic pressure on Russia as it continues its war in Ukraine.

On Wednesday, Ukraine said Elon Musk's SpaceX had restricted its military's access to Starlink, the satellite network that has become the backbone of Ukraine's drone operations against Russian forces. The Trump administration denies any involvement in disruption to the network. 

Both actions come amid reports that the US has also threatened to cut intelligence sharing with Ukraine, which risks reversing the recent gains made by Kyiv's forces.

Pleasance asked Jehring whether the moves, coming just as Ukraine appears to be inflicting serious damage on Russia, add credence to the theory that Trump is leaning towards Russia.

'I don't think he's a Russian asset', Jehring said.

'In the sense that Putin tells him what to do. That he's been planted there by the KGB in a plot dating back decades. I don't buy any of that.

'But, if you read into Trump's history, there are claims that the KGB had files on him from like the 1980s and 90s. His ex-wife is from the Soviet Union. He would visit throughout the 80s and 90s.

'He would have been a person of significant interest, right? He had an awful lot of assets. He was quite famous, a mover and shaker. So, it would be more surprising to me if the KGB or FSB did not stick someone on him.

'Someone sat next to him at dinner parties who was just feeding him Russian talking points. I buy that theory more. Brainwashed is probably too strong a word, but I think he was persuaded.

'He seems always armed with Russian talking points, you really saw them in the early days of his second term. When he reacts to something, it is often with a Russian talking point.

'His view of the world is shaped by Kremlin ideology to a degree, which then means he is maybe supple for when Putin picks up the phone and calls.'

Jehring had returned from Ukraine just days earlier, where he was shown the latest advances in the country's drone warfare and spoke to senior figures in its armed forces.

'I was talking to some Ukrainian friends today about this… they had some fairly strong and short words to describe Mr Musk and Mr Trump', the foreign correspondent said.

'But, at the same time, they are almost used to it, right? From that Oval Office debacle at the start of the second term, they know who Trump is.

'That's not to say they have no emotional response to this. For a piece on Starlink, I have spoken to a couple of colonels in Ukraine's armed forces and one of them told me: 'Without any exaggeration, this means ten times more innocent people will be killed while sleeping in their homes.'

Listen to the full episode now by searching for Deep Dive, wherever you get your podcasts, or clicking on the player above.