When Russian President Vladimir Putin travels to meet U.S. President Donald Trump in Alaska on Friday for talks on ending the war in Ukraine, it’ll be one of the most high profile summits of the year, and there’s a lot at stake.
Veteran statesman Putin is likely to be aiming to extract as many concessions and benefits for Russia as he can in return for a ceasefire that’s coveted by Trump.
Close followers of Moscow say Russia is not looking to end the war yet, however, given its advantageous position on the battlefield in Ukraine, where its forces occupy swathes of territory in the south and east.
Trump has played down expectations for the summit, describing them as a listening exercise ahead of potential further talks. Yet he has also threatened “very severe consequences” if Putin doesn’t agree to a ceasefire. It’s a warning Trump has proposed before, and yet has resisted pulling the trigger on further sanctions.
Ukraine and its European allies, not invited to the summit, warned Trump this week that Putin is bluffing about wanting peace. Kyiv has even said Russia is preparing for new offensives although Moscow has not commented on that claim.
