Alaska Summit: Trump Confronts Putin’s Unyielding Stance on Ukraine

As President Donald Trump prepares for a highly anticipated summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska this Friday, significant skepticism clouds the prospects for a breakthrough in the ongoing war in Ukraine. This marks their first direct meeting in six years, with the conflict now in its fourth year.

Sources familiar with White House discussions reveal President Trump has been actively questioning what, if anything, has changed about Putin’s stance, reflecting a growing frustration with Moscow’s resistance to peace proposals. Despite Trump’s earlier promises to swiftly broker a peace deal, Russia has escalated its attacks on Ukraine, and US intelligence assessments largely indicate Putin maintains his maximalist territorial goals, viewing any ceasefire as an opportunity to regroup and potentially advance further, even towards Kyiv.

The prevailing US intelligence view contradicts some White House optimism that a deal can be reached. Analysts warn Putin is determined to ensure Ukraine never joins NATO and that foreign peacekeepers do not enter its territory. “Putin thinks he is winning, so he has no reason to bend,” one intelligence source stated, suggesting Putin aims to solidify current gains before seeking more.

Ukrainian and European officials harbor deep concerns that the summit, held on American soil without Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky present, could be manipulated by the Kremlin to grant Putin a diplomatic victory. “Russia is offering to stop the war if they get everything they have always wanted,” a European official remarked, calling such an outcome “submission,” not a deal. Zelensky himself warned this week that Putin is “definitely not preparing for a ceasefire or an end to the war” and intends to use the meeting for personal gain before continuing his aggression.

While some Europeans hope Trump’s unique approach might yield results, the President’s own perspective on Putin appears to have evolved since taking office earlier this year. Initially, Trump’s approach was described as “naïve,” but sources indicate a shift, with Trump privately expressing palpable anger and using strong language regarding Putin’s actions. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, a key intermediary, has also voiced frustration, feeling the Russians are “tapping us along.”

Despite Trump’s confidence in his ability to quickly assess Putin’s intentions, US intelligence officials highlight the Kremlin as a “hard target” to decipher. Warnings from the previous Biden administration to Trump’s advisers underscored that controlling Ukraine remains Putin’s paramount objective, second only to his own regime’s survival. Experts like Michael McFaul, former US ambassador to Russia, caution that Putin is now more ideologically driven by “imperial ideas” than transactional motives, making negotiations exceedingly difficult. The stakes for Ukraine, Europe, and global security remain critically high as the world watches the Alaska summit unfold.

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