"Trump prepares for a chess match in Alaska, set to engage Putin"

The upcoming one-on-one meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska is set to focus on the pursuit of a ceasefire deal and potential peace agreement regarding the war in Ukraine. This meeting marks their first direct talks since Trump returned to the White House and comes amid ongoing conflict and complex diplomatic tensions.

Key points about the meeting and the Ukraine conflict include:

Ceasefire and Peace Negotiations: The leaders are expected to discuss terms for a ceasefire in Ukraine. Putin may push for significant territorial concessions from Ukraine, which Kyiv is unlikely to accept. This tension highlights a fundamental blockage in the talks.
Absence of Ukraine's President: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is currently not expected to attend, raising concerns about the legitimacy and durability of any agreements since key stakeholders are missing.
Putin's Strategy: Putin is reportedly employing heavy use of drone attacks against Ukrainian cities as leverage within a larger negotiation strategy, while simultaneously offering economic incentives directly to Washington to isolate Ukraine and Europe from influencing the outcome.
U.S. Strategy and Pressure on Ukraine: Trump is believed to be under pressure to "get tough" on Ukraine, potentially reducing aid and intelligence support, following a pattern from earlier peace efforts that sought to pressure Kyiv to concede for peace.
Potential U.S. Policy Decisions: Trump indicated that within two weeks following the summit, he would decide on possible responses including "massive sanctions," "massive tariffs," or perhaps taking a hands-off stance, indicating a critical juncture in U.S. policy towards the conflict.
Putin-Zelensky Meeting Prospects: Trump has begun arranging a bilateral meeting between Putin and Zelensky, which both sides appear tentative about. Russian officials state that a meeting is only possible once the summit agenda is fully developed and security guarantee discussions are appropriately framed with Russian participation.

The Alaska summit is a high-stakes diplomatic attempt to shift the course of the Ukraine war, but faces significant challenges including divergent demands, absence of key Ukrainian participation, continued Russian military aggression, and potential U.S. policy shifts. The expected outcomes remain uncertain, hinging largely on whether Russia's demands for territorial concessions are accepted and how the U.S. balances pressure on Ukraine with strategic interests.

Trump stated that there is a 25% chance that the meeting may not be successful. Alexander, an opponent of the war who declined to provide his last name due to fear of government pressure, has "zero hope" that Trump will succeed in getting Putin to stop the war.

The message from Moscow is that even for a U.S. president seeking peace, there are geopolitical traditions that are difficult to break. Galina Shalaikina, a resident from Novosibirsk in Siberia, hopes the summit brings an end to the fighting but only after Russia achieves its military goals. Sergei Markov warns that Donald Trump may also end up with bad relations, as all American presidents seeking to improve relations with Russia have done so far.

Despite the challenges, there is a glimmer of hope that Trump might still help deliver a deal, but Sergei Markov warns against overestimating the breakthrough. Markov has observed a quarter century of American presidents repeatedly failing to change Putin's course on Russian interests.

As the world watches, the stage is set for a historic meeting between two leaders with contrasting agendas and a complex geopolitical chessboard. The traditional Russian wooden dolls depicting U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are on sale in St. Petersburg, Russia, symbolising the global interest in the upcoming summit.

In the upcoming meeting between President Donald Trump and President Vladimir Putin, discussions regarding potential trading of territorial concessions for peace in Ukraine are of interest, but these negotiations seem complicated due to the disparity in each leader's demands.
The ongoing conflict in Ukraine is also affected by the strategic use of interest, as Putin leverages drone attacks against Ukrainian cities while offering economic incentives to Washington to isolate Ukraine and Europe.
As the leaders discuss a possible ceasefire and peace agreement, concerns about ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) issues may arise, considering the potential impact of war-and-conflicts on the environment, society, and economy.
Several key stakeholders, such as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, are absent from the talks, raising questions about the general-news of the meeting's legitimacy and durability.
When asked about his expectations for the meeting, Sergei Markov, a Russian political analyst, expressed "zero hope" Trump will bring an end to the war and warned that there could be adverse consequences for Trump's relations with Putin, a trend observed in previous American presidents seeking friendship with Russia.