Dangerous scenario at the Alaska summit, according to an expert - "A perilous predicament is at hand."
The upcoming summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Anchorage, Alaska, scheduled for this Friday, has sparked concerns among experts. Political scientist Christian Mölling, Senior Advisor at the Brussels think tank "European Policy Centre", expressed his apprehensions in the podcast "The Situation - International", hosted by Miriam Hollstein.
Mölling noted that Trump has shown a tendency in the past to change his mind on a whim, which poses a risk not only for the meeting but also for the further development. He expressed concern about potential "trigger points" Putin may have used in past conversations with Trump to convince him of his perspective.
One of the most dangerous outcomes, according to Mölling, would be Trump reverting to the belief that Ukrainian President Zelensky is unwilling to negotiate and the Russians are ready to give everything. This belief, if held, could lead to a refusal of a ceasefire or resolution for the Russo-Ukrainian War.
Mölling stated that the outcome of the meeting could be dangerous, and he advised against too much optimism. He also clarified that the idea that Europe is virtually at the table for the Alaska Summit is incorrect. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, despite making a good impression before the summit, will not be present at the meeting.
The podcast, approximately 2 minutes long, emphasised the lack of a concrete agreement being publicly announced on Ukraine. Some experts viewed the meeting as symbolic, marking Putin’s first visit to a Western country since the 2022 invasion and the first US-hosted meeting between the two presidents in nearly two decades, rather than a platform for substantive diplomatic progress.
Media coverage and expert analysis following the summit emphasised the lack of a ceasefire agreement and noted the continuing stalemate in the conflict negotiation. The expert consensus suggests the summit was notable for its diplomatic visibility but not for producing meaningful resolutions on Ukraine, with expectations that the conflict would remain unresolved post-summit.
[1] The New York Times
[2] BBC News
[3] The Washington Post
- The European Union, despite the upcoming summit between US and Russian leaders, is committed to the development of a European strategy for the environment, acknowledging the potential geopolitical ramifications and the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian War.
- Amidst the general news and political discourse, expert concerns persist regarding the staying power of a potential ceasefire or resolution for the Russo-Ukrainian War, as evidenced by the media coverage following the US-Russian summit in Alaska.
