Now that the fanfare surrounding the two hastily convened international summits that took place thousands of miles apart over the past week in an effort to end the war in Ukraine has subsided, the main resulting sentiments are relief that the outcomes of both meetings are not likely to exacerbate an already ghastly war, and cautious optimism for future diplomatic negotiations that might end it. But not much beyond that. The first summit was between US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, in Anchorage, Alaska on Aug. 15.

US summits with Putin and European leaders offered a glimmer of hope for peace, but Russia seemed to cloud it.

Now that the fanfare surrounding the two hastily convened international summits that took place thousands of miles apart over the past week in an effort to end the war in Ukraine…

Trump-Putin meeting a victory for Russia’s positive diplomatic strategy and an admission that Moscow cannot be isolated.