Protesters oppose Trump's Alaskan summit with Russian President Putin
The high-stakes summit in Alaska could determine the trajectory of the war in Ukraine and the fate of European security.
The summit gives Trump a chance to prove he is a master dealmaker and global peacemaker. For Putin, it's an opportunity to negotiate a deal that would cement Russia's gains. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders were not invited to participate in the talks.
The meeting could have far-reaching implications, with foreign governments watching closely.
"I don't think any solution without the Ukrainian's input is going to end the war in a just and fair way," said Peter Casey, a resident of Anchorage.
"I think that Trump and Putin want to make a deal for themselves that benefits them and doesn't bring a just end to the conflict," he added.
Many residents of Anchorage questioned Putin's motives in these talks, arguing that he's long displayed a pattern of only pursuing his interests. They also believe that a peace treaty, in the event that Trump is able to eventually broker a ceasefire, means very little.
'Putin doesn't want peace. He wants Ukraine and anything that doesn't push him away from Ukraine will not bring peace because he won't stop,' said Blake Severson.
'We've signed peace treaties, Chechnya signed a peace treaty, Georgia signed a peace treaty, Ukraine signed a Peace Treaty. And Russia has been invading them for 11 years.'
Severson added that a 'a peace deal is not going to do anything to stop Putin', instead asserting that the only real counter to Putin is 'bloodying his nose and fighting back against his aggression'.
Many were also critical of Trump for inviting Putin for these talks in the United States, stressing that it was highly inappropriate to play host to a man wanted by the International Criminal Court.
'I wish they weren't here,' said Julie, 'I think inviting a dictator and a war criminal to American soil is a little bit much.'
Julie noted that she believes Trump directly communicating with his Russian counterpart is a good initiative that may bridge the gap and inch Kyiv and Moscow closer towards peace.
She however remained cautious, noting that Trump has made many promises in the past which he's yet to deliver on.
'I think Trump made a lot of promises during his campaign that he would end the war quickly, within 24 hours, if I recall. And he needs to show that he's doing something about it, and so he's got to do something,' added Julie.
The talks, which took place at the Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, lasted for around two-and-a-half hours. The two leaders said in a press conference following their private talks that the meeting was highly constructive.
Trump and Putin also stated that the Alaska Summit is a first step and that more direct talks are needed in the future to hopefully come to a peace agreement. Trump has expressed his desire for Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to participate in future rounds of talks.
It is not yet known when the next round of talks between the leaders could take place, but officials say it is likely to happen 'soon'. The Russian leader suggested Moscow as the venue for the next meeting during a joint press conference with Trump following their meeting, to which Trump said 'I can see it possibly happening'.
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LeMonde
2 hours ago
- LeMonde
After the Trump-Putin summit, Europe must make a move
Everything unfolded just as the Europeans had expected. The summit on Friday, August 15, between Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Anchorage, Alaska, ended without any concrete prospects for a ceasefire in Ukraine. However, it worked to the advantage of the Russian president, who found himself rehabilitated on the world stage thanks to the event. The aggressor of an independent country, Ukraine, which he claims as his own, and wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes, Putin was treated on Friday by the United States with all the honors reserved for a respected leader of a major power. Greeted as he stepped off the plane by President Trump, invited to walk the red carpet with him to the American president's limousine and then invited inside, the Russian president clearly appreciated these gestures. To express his gratitude to Trump, he echoed two grievances dear to the Republican president: that the 2020 presidential election, won by Joe Biden, was fraudulent, and that the war in Ukraine would never have started if Trump had been president. As for the rest, while describing the meeting as very "productive" and on "the path to peace in Ukraine," Putin merely reiterated, during a brief joint appearance before the press, the "underlying causes" of his conflict with Ukraine. The talks lasted just over two and a half hours, whereas the Kremlin had planned for "six to seven hours" of discussions. The scheduled lunch did not take place, journalists were not allowed to ask questions and the exchanges apparently did not touch on commercial or economic matters, nor on arms control – contrary to Moscow's wishes. For his part, Trump showered "Vladimir" with praise, calling him "a strong guy (...) tough as hell." He spoke of a "very productive" meeting where there were "many points that we agreed on," except for one, "probably the most significant," which he did not specify. The American president, who had threatened Russia just a few days earlier with "very severe consequences" if it failed to achieve a ceasefire in Ukraine, stated on Fox News on Friday that the question of new sanctions was not under consideration for the time being, but that he might have to think about it in two or three weeks. In light of this lack of results, the ball is now in the Europeans' court. On Saturday morning, Trump briefed them, as well as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, on his discussions and the points of agreement he mentioned. Even before speaking to them, he offered this advice to Zelensky on Fox News after the summit: "Make a deal!" From the way Putin and Trump presented matters in Anchorage, it can be inferred that the proposed "deal" is not in Kyiv's favor. Echoing Trump, Putin said he hoped the Europeans "won't throw a wrench in the works and not make any attempts to use some backroom dealings to conduct provocations to torpedo the progress." Keen not to miss any chance to end the war, the Ukrainian president nonetheless responded positively to the idea of a three-way meeting with Putin and Trump, and decided to travel to Washington on Monday to discuss it. The scenario Europeans have feared – a settlement hashed out behind their backs by the Russian and American leaders – cannot be ruled out. However, unlike Trump, Putin acknowledged that they, together with Kyiv, have cards to play. The time has come to use them, and to do so with resolve.
France 24
2 hours ago
- France 24
In high-stakes summit, Trump, not Putin, budges
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Euronews
3 hours ago
- Euronews
European leaders to support trilateral meeting following Alaska summit
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