Your assessment of Putin is spot on. While I think his “involvement” in our elections is way overblown, I do not for one minute believe he is our allay. You did not even mention his takeover of Crimea and part of Georgia. We can do business with Putin, but he is not to be trusted. We must strengthen NATO and our own military to show him we are not playing around. Negotiate with him from a position of strength.
Anyone wanting to know how to deal with Putin needs to do one thing. Remember how Reagan dealt with them. Sure the Putinista apologists won't like it, but they love Putin the way that the Left loved the Soviets. Follow Reagan. Strengthen the USA. Talk but don't do anything against US interests and freedom. Verify any agreement.