Editorial: Alaska Summit, a damp squib

For those looking for a broad framework to resolve the conflict and end the three-year-long Russia-Ukraine war, it was a day of disappointment

For all the hype surrounding the Alaska summit between United States President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, it turned out to be more of optics than of any substance. Known to revel in orchestrated public spectacles and grab credit for even the slightest hint of success—real or perceived—, Trump was uncharacteristically quiet and sullen after the three-hour-long high-stakes meeting at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska. The summit failed to achieve any breakthrough for peace in Ukraine despite high expectations. For those looking for a broad framework to resolve the conflict and end the three-year-long Russia-Ukraine war, it was a day of disappointment. However, for Putin, seen by the Western world as a war criminal, it was a significant diplomatic triumph that boosted his international standing. In fact, the Russian strongman had it everything on a platter — a colourful red carpet welcome, a brief ride in Trump’s limousine, a chance to be the first to deliver opening remarks before the media and, to top it all, the host’s endorsement of his plan to seek a sweeping peace agreement in Ukraine instead of securing the urgent ceasefire. By bowing to this position, Trump has poured cold water on the hopes of Ukrainians and their European supporters for an immediate halt to the bloodshed. Now, the conflict grinds on, and the people of Ukraine will continue to suffer. Neither side offered clarity on whether any substantive issues had been discussed or resolved. Both spoke vaguely of “understandings” and “progress” without elaboration.

Notably, both leaders avoided taking questions from the media, an unusual move for Trump, fuelling speculation that there was little real progress to present. Russia is clearly playing on Trump’s desire for photo-op moments in the expectation that it can keep him engaged and, in the meantime, continue to pummel Ukraine until unassailable strategic gains are made on the military front. Trump has ended up providing a lavish stage for the international rehabilitation of Putin, a pariah in the rest of the Western world who is not only under US sanctions but also faces an international arrest warrant for war crimes. The US President had last month threatened tough new economic sanctions if the Kremlin did not pause the war within 50 days, but he has since made a stunning climbdown. Now there is no ceasefire, no deadline and no sanctions plan. The net effect of the Alaska fiasco is that Putin has been given a free pass to continue his war against his neighbour indefinitely without further penalty, pending time-consuming negotiations for a more sweeping deal that appears elusive at best. The so-called broader peace agreement that Russia is pitching essentially requires Ukraine to give up its territory. While Putin gained legitimacy and Trump basked in personal rapport, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was left conspicuously absent.

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