President Trump is set to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Anchorage, Alaska, to discuss the war in Ukraine. The summit comes after a week of preparations, including calls with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European allies. Trump has repeatedly cast himself as a peacemaker and unifier, with his goal of winning a Nobel Peace Prize. Putin has been a brick wall, refusing any concessions toward peace and increasing the severity of attacks on Ukraine. Trump expects a good meeting with Putin, but the most important meeting will be the one after that, with Russia, Ukraine, and possibly European leaders. Trump’s negotiations with Putin and Zelensky are “like chess,” and there is a 25% chance this meeting will not be a successful meeting. Putin said Trump was making “energetic and sincere efforts” toward peace in Ukraine, suggesting that these efforts could create long-term conditions of peace between the countries and in Europe, and in the world as a whole. Some European officials have expressed concerns that Trump could still be swayed by Putin at today’s meeting, as Russia never engages in meaningful discussions to arrive at something concrete.
Trump’s peacemaker credentials are being tested during the Alaska summit. Hoang Member 088
