Trump's Capacity to Compel Putin Towards Peaceful Resolution
The highly anticipated Trump-Putin meeting in Alaska on August 15, 2025, failed to produce a formal agreement to end the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The summit, which marked the first time the leaders met since Trump's return to office, took place at the military base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage.
Despite hopes for linking improved diplomatic relations with Russia to economic incentives, no business or economic deals were announced. The lack of progress on ending the war meant that these hopes were not realized.
Trump appeared to endorse Putin’s narrative about the war’s causes, focusing on Ukraine’s Western integration and Russia’s regional influence. He also indicated possible delays to some tough sanctions previously threatened.
European leaders and Ukraine were sidelined during the talks, raising concerns over diminished European influence on negotiations affecting the continent’s security. The U.S. posture following the summit was to push for accelerated negotiations to end the war, though it remained unclear if there was a realistic path forward given the complexity of the issues discussed.
Putin is insisting on an end to Western arms supplies to Ukraine and a halt to mobilization. He also demands that Ukraine abandon its NATO aspirations and guarantee extensive rights for its Russian-speaking population. Putin is likely to offer a ceasefire for air strikes in his conversation with Trump.
Russia has proposed a land swap for an end to the war, which includes the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from certain regions in exchange for a ceasefire. However, Ukraine has repeatedly ruled out territorial concessions.
The meeting concluded with a agreement for a follow-up meeting between Trump and Putin in Russia. Meanwhile, the situation on the ground remains precarious. Russian soldiers have reportedly retaken the city of Kupiansk in the Kharkiv region, and the Ukrainian group in the Donetsk region is threatened with encirclement near the cities of Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad.
In the southern Zaporizhzhia region, the Russian side has captured Kamianka and moved closer to the regional capital. The situation in the northeastern city of Konstantinovka is deteriorating, and Ukrainian troops are under heavy pressure on several fronts in eastern and southern Ukraine.
Despite Trump's calls for a ceasefire, it is clear that Moscow and Kyiv must agree to end the conflict. Trump has expressed a desire to facilitate a meeting between Putin and Zelensky if needed, but it remains to be seen if this diplomatic engagement will lead to a breakthrough in the near future.
[1] Reuters. (2025, August 15). No deal at Trump-Putin summit on Ukraine conflict: White House. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/no-deal-trump-putin-summit-ukraine-conflict-white-house-2025-08-15/
[2] Associated Press. (2025, August 15). Trump suggests Ukraine should cede territory to end war. Associated Press. https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-russia-ukraine-alaska-europe-92b8195f5e711cd22b6d2a06d7706a44
[4] BBC News. (2025, August 15). Trump-Putin meeting: No deals on Ukraine or economy. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-58198683
[5] The New York Times. (2025, August 15). Trump and Putin Meet in Alaska but Fail to Reach Deal on Ukraine. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/15/world/europe/trump-putin-alaska-ukraine.html
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