Trump and Putin confronted each other in a very high-stake summit in the great Alaskan expanse, where they negotiated about the ongoing conflict in Ukraine during a rare three-hour closed-door session. It was perhaps the major meeting between the two countries since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and was staged upon a military base. The talks resulted in only a flicker of cautious hope; no major pacts were reached though. Putin expressed Russia’s sincere desire to end the war but warned that peace wouldn’t last unless the principal issues behind the conflict, mainly NATO’s steps in Ukraine, were remedied. Meanwhile, Trump said the talks are the beginning of a fairer deal, rather than a mere ceasefire, clearly stating that Ukraine must be secured.
The atmosphere for the summit was indeed quite splendid. Trump gave a display of American military might with a B-2 bomber fly-by while Putin instantly confirmed his willingness to create further opportunities for diplomacy and invite Trump to Moscow. Analysts noted that the meeting in Alaska heralded a shift; instead of focusing merely on battlefield gains, top-level talks are now determining the future of this war. Over 500,000 casualties have been registered since 2022, with over €90 billion forwarded to Kyiv in aid-the stakes are just as high. At this point, the Alaska summit is one for signaling rather than solving.
