Russia's Expansionist Actions in Ukraine Contested as Putin Pursues Further Territorial Gains
US-Russia Summit in Anchorage Fails to Yield Agreement on Ukraine Conflict
The highly anticipated US-Russia summit held in Anchorage, Alaska, on August 15, 2025, concluded without any formal agreement or deal regarding the ongoing conflict in eastern Ukraine. The discussions were described as substantive and conducted in a constructive and mutually respectful atmosphere, but no concrete resolution was announced [1][3].
The summit, which was the first US-Russia presidential meeting since 2021, took place on U.S. military property and marked a significant diplomatic milestone as it was the first time since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 that the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, was invited to a Western country [1].
President Donald Trump, who hosted the summit, conveyed his desire to end the Russo-Ukrainian War. However, he later suggested that the responsibility to cede territory in order to end the conflict now lies with Ukraine [1]. This implies a shift in the stance on negotiations, potentially pressuring Ukraine to make concessions.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that President Trump wants to assess Russian President Putin directly during the meeting. He also expressed that President Trump believes it is important to meet Putin face-to-face and hear him one-on-one to make an assessment [2].
Russian soldiers have advanced deeper into eastern Ukraine on August 12, and the advance is part of Putin's campaign to take full control of Ukraine's Donetsk region [4]. The upcoming summit is not expected to result in major progress toward a ceasefire, but rather a listening exercise [3].
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his European Union allies fear Trump may pressure Ukraine to give up more territory than Russia. The areas being contested in Ukraine are within Ukraine's borders [5].
Trump has stated that any peace deal would involve "some swapping of territories" beneficial to both Russia and Ukraine [1]. The summit, scheduled to take place on Friday at Elmendorf Air Force Base in Anchorage, Alaska, has been confirmed by two White House officials [3].
In summary, the US-Russia summit in Anchorage failed to yield an agreement on the Ukraine conflict. The meeting was described as constructive but did not produce substantive changes publicly. The expected outcome so far is a continuation of the conflict without new diplomatic breakthrough from this summit, with possible increased pressure on Ukraine to negotiate territory [1][3][5].
[1] New York Times, "Trump-Putin Summit Fails to Yield Agreement on Ukraine," August 15, 2025. [2] CNN, "Rubio: Trump Wants to Assess Putin Directly at Summit," August 13, 2025. [3] Washington Post, "Trump-Putin Summit Ends Without Agreement on Ukraine," August 15, 2025. [4] BBC News, "Russian Soldiers Advance Deeper into Eastern Ukraine," August 12, 2025. [5] Reuters, "Zelenskyy and EU Allies Fear Trump May Pressure Ukraine on Territory," August 14, 2025.
The US-Russia summit, despite being described as constructive, did not lead to an agreement on the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, hinting at continued war-and-conflicts in the region. The talks also brought politics into play, with pressure potentially being exerted on Ukraine to make concessions in terms of general-news.
