What happens if Putin decides Trump is more of a liability than an asset?

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

According to (I think) Richard Engel on MSNBC last night, the Russians are feeling a bit of buyers' remorse. Supposedly the whole purpose behind their hacking and leaking was to damage and delegitimize Clinton if she got elected, and otherwise to help Trump because they knew he would be more likely to take actions more favorable to them, probably because of his financial entanglements and/or kompromat. But now the Trump campaign's pre- and post-election communications with Russian officials are starting to be discovered, and one appointee was forced to resign and another is on the hot seat. The question of possible collusion, not just communication, is being kicked around. The GOP are trying to circle the wagons, which makes the whole situation look even more dodgy. This issue is not going away; the more they try to deny there was anything improper the worse it looks. There will be investigations by the media, even if not by Congress, and sooner or later a Deep Throat or two will come forward.

So here's the problem for Russia: The Trump administration doesn't dare take actions that would benefit Russia; they can't lift the sanctions or mess with NATO - things that Russia wants very much - because every time any such thing would happen, or even be proposed, the inquiry into the administration's possibly illegal communications with Russia will heat up even more. As a result Putin's asset (or useful idiot) is no longer valuable to him. In fact, he's getting to be a liability because he's an unpredictable loose cannon, and because the extent of Russia's interference with our elections, including sources and methods, might all become public.

So what does Putin do now?