Trump summit must not be a reward for Putin's war aims
MIKHAIL METZEL/SPUTNIK/AP
The last American president to meet Vladimir Putin was Joe Biden, a year before the Russian leader ordered the brutal invasion of Ukraine. Since 2022 no western leader has sat down with a man responsible for thousands of deaths, Russian as well as Ukrainian, a pariah in the western world, sanctioned, boycotted and facing an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court.
President Trump, however, despite deception, duplicity and transparent attempts at manipulation by the Kremlin, appears nevertheless determined to meet the Russian president face to face. Mr Trump may hope to fulfil, even belatedly, his promise to end the war in Ukraine within days.
He has now finally extracted a commitment from Moscow to a summit, probably in the United Arab Emirates, within days. Few expect any breakthrough. Most of America's Nato allies are wary of the apparent concessions already made, and see the meeting as a transparent manoeuvre by Moscow to postpone Mr Trump's deadline for Mr Putin to agree a ceasefire before the imposition of further US sanctions.
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