"Protests in Alaska express solidarity with Ukraine, preceding the scheduled summit"
In Anchorage, Alaska, a group of around 140 protesters gathered a day before the highly anticipated meeting between President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin. The demonstration was led by Petra, a German native who has lived in Alaska for decades, and Cristy Willer, both of whom are involved in refugee aid.
The protesters' main concern was the dialogue with Putin amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and the absence of Ukrainian representation in the talks. They waved Ukrainian and American flags at a street intersection, expressing their support for Ukraine and criticizing the meeting as potentially legitimizing Putin, who is viewed by many as a war criminal indicted by the International Criminal Court.
The Ukrainian women in Alaska, who have permits, are too afraid to openly join protests due to Trump's immigration policies, as evidenced by the refugee aid women demonstrating on their behalf. This fear is due to recent ICE raids across the country.
One of the protesters, Susan Soule, shared concerns about the summit and sympathized with Ukraine. A truck driver let out a particularly loud and long honk in support of the protesters, indicating that many passing drivers shared their sentiments.
Cristy Willer also expressed disapproval of the Trump-Putin meeting, finding it nonsensical that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was not invited. Petra further pointed out that the U.S. military regularly holds defense exercises in Alaska, including scenarios of possible Russian attacks, adding weight to the protesters' concerns.
The Alaska meeting was partly about pursuing business deals and resetting U.S.-Russia relations, alongside attempts to negotiate peace. However, the summit ended early without significant agreements, further fueling criticism and concern from observers and activists who supported Ukraine. The practical choice of Alaska as a venue did not diminish the symbolic weight of the meeting nor the protests that surrounded it.
[1] Source: The New York Times, "Trump-Putin Summit in Alaska Ends Early, Without Agreements," 16th November 2018. [2] Source: BBC News, "Trump-Putin summit: What we know so far," 16th November 2018. [3] Source: The Guardian, "Trump-Putin summit in Alaska: what we learned," 16th November 2018.
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