Anchorage: For Ukraine, the Alaska summit between US President Donald Trump and Russia’s head of state Vladimir Putin was a complete disappointment. Many Ukrainians anxiously awaited the outcome, hoping for an end to Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine. Concerns loomed over potential territorial concessions Ukraine might be pressured into making. However, the summit concluded with no fundamental changes.
According to Deutsche Welle, Ivan Us from Ukraine’s Center for Foreign Policy at the National Institute for Strategic Studies expressed that the Russian president’s aim was not to end the war. Instead, Vladimir Putin sought to legitimize himself and end his international isolation. The summit primarily served as a photo opportunity, showcasing Putin alongside Trump, signaling to Russia that isolation was over and potentially easing market tensions. Dmitry Medvedev, chairman of Russia’s Security Council, noted that the summit restored a “full-fledged mechanism for meetings” between the US and Russia, emphasizing negotiations without preconditions and continuing the Special Military Operation.
The summit did not bring Ukraine closer to peace. Ivan Us pointed out the resulting chaos, with the US and Russia making conflicting statements about a possible trilateral dialogue involving Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Moscow denied any discussion of a trilateral summit, while Washington claimed otherwise. Zelenskyy acknowledged receiving an invitation to such a meeting and expressed Ukraine’s readiness to work toward peace.
Concerns arose in Ukraine over potential US pressure during Zelenskyy’s upcoming visit to Washington. Ukrainian MP Iryna Herashchenko warned that any refusal from Ukraine could be portrayed as unwillingness to end the war. She noted that Trump’s comments about territory exchanges for security guarantees could legitimize Moscow’s demands. Putin reiterated that the conflict’s causes must be addressed, implying no change in Russia’s goals.
Ukrainian political scientist Vadym Denisenko argued that Russia’s attempt to negotiate Ukrainian territory with the US failed, though Putin gained time. Denisenko suggested that if the war doesn’t end within two months, it might become part of Chinese-American negotiations, with potential talks resuming by late 2025 or spring 2026.
The summit’s outcome sparked anger among Ukrainians, especially regarding the red carpet treatment for Putin at the US military base in Anchorage. Mustafa Nayyem, former parliament member and ex-head of the State Agency for Reconstruction and Infrastructure, condemned the honors given to Putin, equating it to complicity in crime and a special kind of shame.