President Donald Trump entered his summit with Vladimir Putin on Friday in Alaska with high expectations for a ceasefire agreement between Russia and Ukraine. However, following their meeting, he endorsed Russia’s territorial ambitions, suggesting a significant diplomatic retreat.
Trump informed European counterparts that he had aligned with Putin’s stance, which would see Ukraine making territorial concessions to resolve the ongoing conflict. This decision has raised serious concerns for Ukrainians at the center of the crisis, as revealed by a European official.
In a social media post, Trump conveyed his alignment with the Kremlin’s position, advocating for comprehensive peace talks rather than immediate ceasefire negotiations.
“It was determined by all that the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a Peace Agreement, which would end the war, and not a mere Ceasefire Agreement, which oftentimes do not hold up,” he wrote. Trump suggested that successful negotiations could save millions of lives and hinted at scheduling a further meeting with Putin.
This summit has been viewed as a notable achievement for Putin, who perceives an advantage on the battlefield and has postponed ceasefire discussions while continuing to pressure Ukrainian front lines. Upon landing at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Putin was warmly welcomed by President Trump, who offered him a ride in his signature vehicle, marking a stark contradiction to Putin’s prior isolation due to international sanctions and war crime indictments.
Following his arrival in Washington, Trump engaged with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and other European leaders, including the secretary-general of NATO. A follow-up meeting with Zelensky has already been arranged for the upcoming Monday.
However, initiating a peace agreement is far more complex than achieving a ceasefire, as it often entails extended and intricate negotiations. Meanwhile, the existing conflict permits Russian forces to maintain their battlefield offensive.
Details surrounding the Trump-Putin meeting remain hazy. In their statements to reporters, both leaders alluded to “agreements” but acknowledged that the pivotal question of whether Russia is willing to implement a ceasefire still lacks a solid answer.
Trump remarked, “We had an extremely productive meeting, and many points were agreed to. There are just a very few that are left… One is probably the most significant, but we have a very good chance of getting there.”
In a subsequent Fox News interview, Trump expressed optimism regarding the outcomes. However, he remained cautious, emphasizing the necessity of achieving a concrete deal.
Analysts had suggested that Trump’s inability to secure a ceasefire from Putin was hardly surprising, particularly as Putin currently maintains military initiative, pressing forward with attacks along the front. Furthermore, observers are questioning how long Putin can continue to leverage Trump’s goodwill while the war rages on, particularly in light of an attack on a civilian market in the Ukrainian city of Sumy shortly before the summit began.
The Russian delegation departed abruptly after the press segment, offering no insights on the private discussions between the two leaders. Shortly after completing his interview, Trump too departed Anchorage for Washington, leaving the White House silent on the meeting with no official statements or summaries issued.
“I believe Putin will have to provide Trump with some sort of concession to avoid total embarrassment,” commented Darren Kew, dean of the Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies at the University of San Diego. “This could take the form of a pledge for a soon-to-come ceasefire — one of Trump’s primary demands — along with a commitment to engage in talks with the Ukrainians this fall.”
Kew outlined how both movements serve Putin’s objectives of delay and appeasing Trump, as they provide him with additional time to achieve military gains on the battlefield, noting that ceasefires tend to be easily broken while peace negotiations can extend over years.
In his own remarks, Putin indicated that the agreements reached during the summit might face significant opposition throughout Europe and especially from Ukraine. He cautioned European allies against sabotaging any forward momentum in follow-up discussions with the White House.
“I would like to hope that the agreement that we have reached together will help pave the path toward peace in Ukraine,” Putin stated, urging Kyiv and European leaders to respond positively and to avoid hindrances.
This indication from Putin acknowledged that the arrangements agreed upon bilaterally with Trump are unlikely to be acceptable to Ukraine, who has suffered immense losses throughout the ongoing conflict stemming from Russia’s invasion since February 2022.
The Financial Times reported that Putin was insisting on Ukrainian concessions of two eastern administrative divisions central to the ongoing hostilities — Donetsk and Luhansk — in exchange for a Russian agreement to stabilize the front line. Trump shared that discussions regarding the Russian annexation of Ukrainian territories were discussed and “agreed upon,” contingent upon Ukrainian approval, which remains a significant hurdle given widespread opposition from President Zelensky and the stipulations of the Ukrainian Constitution prohibiting territorial concessions.
“Those are points that we negotiated, and those are points that we largely have agreed upon, actually. I believe we’ve agreed on a lot,” Trump said, acknowledging that the Ukrainian response to such proposals remains uncertain.
Europe and Ukraine have consistently argued that conceding land to Russia is inadequate. Following Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and subsequent incursions in the Donbas region, European leaders are wary of further territorial compromises.
The Russian Foreign Ministry reaffirmed this week that Russia’s war objectives remain unchanged, asserting that lasting peace requires addressing the foundational causes of the conflict. Putin emphasized, “We’re convinced that to make the settlement last in the long term, we need to eliminate all the primary roots of the conflict and consider all legitimate concerns of Russia.” He called for the reinstatement of a fair balance of security within Europe and globally.
“The root causes of the conflict must be resolved,” Putin concluded.
image source from：latimes
