When the Donald Trump and the Vladimir Putin They met in Helsinki in 2018, worried the allies as the US president took the part of the Russian leader against the US intelligence services on Russian intervention in the US elections.
THE Donald Trump begins for a meeting in Alaska with Vladimir Putin On Friday (15.8.2025) with a different public disposition – impatient with Russian’s reluctance to negotiate the end of his war in Ukraine and angry at the missile attacks on Ukrainian cities.
People are waiting to see if it will be the toughest version of Trump to appear in Anchorage or whether he will be the former real estate tycoon who tried to win the favor of the former KGB agent in the past.
The answer could have a profound impact on European leaders who are concerned that Russia, if it is allowed to absorb Ukraine sections, will be more aggressive to NATO allies near Russia, such as Poland, Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia. It is even more important to Ukraine, which loses ground from Russian forces after three and a half years of hard battles.
Despite his toughest tone for Putin in recent months, Trump has a long story in an effort to discredit the Russian leader. When Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, Trump refused to immediately criticize Putin. The Russian president, avoided by many presidents, praised Trump for his work to improve Russian-American relations.
Kremlin observers are looking to see if Trump will be captivated by Putin again and will be influenced by his argument that Russia has the right to dominate Ukraine.
“It is reasonable to believe that Trump will be deceived by Putin and closing a terrible deal against Ukraine,” said Dan Fried, a diplomat of many US presidents who are now in the Atlantic Council. But a different result is also possible, Fried. “There is a logical perspective that the government will be awakened by the fact that Putin is still playing them.”
The Trump government has tried to mitigate expectations, with White House secretary telling reporters on Tuesday that the meeting would be a “listening exercise”.
Trump told reporters on Wednesday that he could mediate a second meeting that would include both Putin and Ukraine President Volodimir Zelenski if the Alaska meeting is going well.
Russia has not given any indication that it is ready to make concessions amid Ukrainian concerns that Trump could make an agreement without their contribution. Zelenski says he would like to first see a ceasefire followed by security guarantees.
Whip and carrot
When Trump re -duties in January, the Republican president tried to revive the warm climate between the two leaders from his first term, expressing sympathy for the internationally isolated Putin and promising to end the war in Ukraine in 24 hours.
As the US government relaxed pressure on Russia, some assistants of Trump parrot have been the Russian discussion points for the frustration of Ukraine supporters. In March, US Special Envoy Steve Whitkov implied in an interview with conservative commentator Tucker Carlson that Russia had the right to occupy four continental areas of Ukraine – Donetsk, Lugansk, Zaporiza and “
And in a dramatic meeting at the White House in February, Trump and Vice President Jay Di Vance criticized Zelenski for the handling of war, for the sake of cruelty to Russia in Russia.
Despite this favorable approach, the Russian leader refused to follow Trump in his attempt to lead the two sides to a peace agreement. Putin has spoken regularly with Trump, but has continued his deadly bombings on Ukraine.
The ongoing bloodshed prompted Trump to turn to a tougher attitude in July and complain that Putin is delaying him. Trump agreed to send new weapons to Ukraine – for which Europe will pay – and threatened with new financial sanctions for Moscow.
Trump last week imposed a 25% duty on India on the purchase of Russian oil – indirect pressure on Moscow – but avoided implementing his threats to impose more severe sanctions. On Wednesday, he threatened with “serious consequences” if Russia does not reach an agreement.
“While the tone coming out of the White House has changed, it has not yet been accompanied by expansion of US sanctions – Trump’s deadlines for additional penalties continue to be transferred – or new financial commitments from Washington to boost Ukrainian security,” said Nicolas.
On Monday, Trump said he should know within two minutes if Putin is willing to make concessions. “I can say ‘good luck’. Continue to fight. Or I can say, we can make a deal, “he said.
The lure of the agreement
For Trump, who is attracted to the spectacle of a summit with people watching, the lure of reaching an agreement is strong.
He has been involved in an open campaign for a Nobel Peace Prize this year, highlighting those he has described as his diplomatic victories, and has annoyed the US allies with his study of a peacekeeping deal in Ukraine who fear that he could encourage him.
In the past few days, Ukrainian and European leaders complained about Trump’s claim that Russia and Ukraine should participate in territorial exchanges in order to reach a peace agreement.
While Russia holds Crimea and large parts of eastern Ukraine, the Ukrainians no longer possess Russian territory, raising the question of exactly what could be exchanged.
Trump insists that, given his personal relationship with Putin, he is the only one who can end the war.
John Bolton, who was one of Trump’s national security advisers in his first term and is now his acute critic, said he was worried that Putin “starts doing his magic” to Trump.
“Personal relationships obviously have a place in foreign affairs, as well as anything else. But when you are one of the hard people of the world like Vladimir Putin, this is not a matter of emotion, it is a matter of cold calculation. Trump does not understand this point, “Bolton said.
In a post on social media on Wednesday, Trump complained that “the media are working too unfair to meet Putin”, citing the use of excerpts from “fired losers” like Bolton.
Source: Reuters / Steve Holland