Fears before meeting
The preparation of the session was accompanied by strong concerns. Diplomats and experts warned that Trump was in danger of being fooled by her former official, giving him a chance to promote his goal: Ukraine’s submission, returning to a Russian satellite and the split of the already fragile western. Although this “sale” did not happen, Putin came out. Dettmer points out that, even so, the Russian president obtained “the greatest of the meeting”.
The Victory of the Image
Putin, though internationally wanted for war crimes, succeeded in finding himself on American territory not as a leader of a state-in-law, but as an equal interlocutor of the US president. He did not commit to any significant concession, nor to a truce, although Trump assured that his interlocutor wants to “save thousands of lives”. “Obviously he is not so willing,” Politico columnist commented.
Historical comparisons and strategy of the Kremlin
The meeting was neither reminiscent of the 1986 Reykjavik. It was not a historical landmark, but a diplomatic scene where Putin managed to be legalized internationally. As former White House adviser Michael Carpenter pointed out, “the meeting legalized him on the international stage.” At the same time, according to Dettmer, the Russian state media emphasized that the Synod was less concerned with Ukraine and more the image of two great powers that decide on the future of the world.
The goal remains Ukraine
In his statements, Putin reiterated that Ukraine is a “sister country”, that is, part of the Russian sphere of influence. He spoke of “fundamental threats to Russia’s security”, repeating the narrative with which the Kremlin accuses NATO and Europe of war. As Dettmer notes, the Russian president has not shown “any indication” that he is ready to move away from his main goal: the submission of Ukraine, a country he thinks “should not even exist”.
A session that leaves more questions than answers
The Alaska Summit was presented as a “peace effort”, but actually reinforced Putin on the international stage. Without offering concessions, he succeeded in sitting at the same table as the US president and appearing as a powerful player. As Dettmer concludes in Politico, for Ukraine and the West this image is equivalent to a serious diplomatic blow.
Germany: The media for the Alaska meeting
Russian President Vladimir Putin “sees” the German press as a winning Alaska summit. The media refer to the “triumph” of the Russian side, a frustration in Ukraine and Europe which was limited to a viewer. “Almost no one expected that a truce for Ukraine would be declared to Alaska. But Trump’s behavior towards Putin did not even meet the lowest expectations, “said German public television ARD in her analysis and speaks of” a lot of noise about nothing “. “The appearance was a celebration for Putin. Trump put the red carpet in front of the whole world. He brought the man, for whom there is an international arrest warrant, on the world stage (…) Putin enjoyed the appearance with a triumphant smile, “the ARD said, and claims that” Trump fell into Putin’s trap “, as there was no truce or a truce “Putin hinted at his willingness to negotiate just when Trump and Europeans were going to impose new sanctions. Former Putin Intelligence agent publicly humiliated the self -proclaimed “Agreement Agent” Trump. No one will probably want to propose to him for the Nobel Peace Prize, which Trump is supposed to dream of, the next day of the summit, “the ARD comment said, and it is noted that at the same time in Ukraine there is frustration, as the attacks continue and” the appearance “. “Europeans are just spectators. The two largest nuclear forces talk about Europe, and Europeans stay out and can only watch from television (…) when will a European peace initiative emerge? Who can and wants to negotiate with Putin? This would certainly be a task for the Great Powers Germany, France and Great Britain. Chancellor Friedrich Mertz should make many phone calls, “the analysis said. “Trump retreats, Putin triumphants, Zelensky trembles,” writes Der Spiegel in his comment, noting that “the Kremlin leader can enjoy, while the US president is pretending that everything went well.” Donald Trump, “the” negotiator “, returned home without agreement – though he literally laid the red carpet for Putin in Alaska. Does this count as a failure? For Putin, it was definitely a victory in all areas, “says the magazine. Handelsblatt, in her analysis, speaks of “failure in Alaska” and a “no -results meeting, which puts pressure on Europe”. The summit in Alaska “ended unhappy. The narrow alliance between Trump and Putin deepen the transatlantic alienation, “the financial newspaper commented, noting that the US president” has largely left the Russian leader to do whatever he wanted in front of the lens “, while” welcoming the warrior “. “Something did not go well in the background,” Bild writes and refers to a ‘show without results’, while the N-TV news station commented that “what Trump has achieved is that Putin has personally returned to the world stage at the same level as the US. The president of the most important state in NATO is negotiating with him. Putin, the war criminal accused by the International Criminal Court, received flattery on an US military base. “
