Alaska was a begin, but Putin is still up to his – Latest News
As the people of Ukraine know, neighborliness is not amongst Putin’s great qualities.
Still, it was with a reference to the US and Russia being neighbors that Putin kicked off his dialog with President Trump in Alaska yesterday.
On the purple carpet on the airport he apparently mentioned to Trump: “Good afternoon, dear neighbor. Very good to see you in good health and to see you alive.”
President Donald Trump greets Russian President Vladimir Putin on the tarmac after they arrived at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, on August 15, 2025. AFP by way of Getty Images
When relaying this on the joint press convention later on, the Russian president commented about his own earlier remarks: “I think that is very neighborly.”
Of course the 2 leaders had been solely assembly as a result of of Putin’s lack of neighborly qualities.
Since Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 there have been no face-to-face conferences between the leaders of Russia and the US.
Partly as a result of Putin has been unwilling to stop the warfare he began. And partly as a result of there was little or no for the 2 to agree on.
Putin’s invasion has led to more than a million deaths.
Perhaps simply on his own facet.
Figures differ as to the quantity of Ukrainians killed for the reason that battle started.
Trump got here into workplace saying that the warfare would by no means have began if he had been the US President in 2022.
A B-2 bomber (C) and 4 F-35 fighter jets fly overhead as President Donald Trump greets Russian President Vladimir Putin on the tarmac after they arrived at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, on August 15, 2025. AFP by way of Getty Images
And yesterday Putin was cautious to stress that this was a level of settlement between the 2 sides.
He talked in regards to the unresponsiveness of the Biden administration to the warnings he claims to have given them.
Still, Trump was cautious not to fall for the flattery.
Throughout the joint press look, whereas Putin was talking, Trump maintained his cautious, considerate listening face.
He is aware of that even a smile within the mistaken place might be lethal when coping with a negotiating companion like Putin.
Not simply because of the person standing beside him on the stage, but for the world’s media camped out in entrance of them each, many of whom would love to revive the “Putin puppet” memes about Trump that ran so wild from 2016 to 2020.
President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin watch F-35 fighter jets fly overhead at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, on August 15, 2025. ZUMAPRESS.com
Aware that each gesture, phrase, and handshake could be pored over relentlessly, Trump set up the assembly and managed it on his own phrases.
Putin is a well-known manipulator of conferences with world leaders.
He likes to wrong-foot people or make himself seem like the larger man.
On the tarmac Trump was cautious to make sure that he didn’t greet Putin too warmly, and likewise not to be too austere.
Trump was in Alaska to get a deal performed.
Whether Putin was there for a similar factor they had been there to see.
But in an professional piece of stagecraft an American B-2 stealth bomber flew overhead as Trump and Putin walked to the primary photograph alternative.
Trump stopped to look up and acknowledge the place, as if to say, “Gee — who’d have thought it. One of those US planes that just took out the Iranian nuclear reactors. Remember them?”
President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, August 15, 2025. REUTERS
For two-and-a-half hours the leaders had been shut behind closed doorways and the truth that they each got here out collectively was a signal in itself.
Trump had earlier urged that in the event that they didn’t each seem after the assembly then it was as a result of there was nothing to discuss.
Trump-watchers bear in mind the Hanoi assembly with North Korean chief Kim Jong-Un in 2019.
Then, too, there was large construct up and high expectations.
But when Trump realized there was no deal to be had with the North Korean dictator, he simply walked away.
That didn’t occur yesterday.
And for each who believes that jaw-jaw is higher than war-war that has to be a good factor.
Trump’s own remarks on the joint press convention had been pleasant and formal.
US particular envoy Steve Witkoff speaks with workers on the conclusion of the Trump/Putin assembly. AFP by way of Getty Images
But he acknowledged that whereas the talks had been a begin there was no deal.
Because there have been still a quantity of small issues and “one which is the most significant” that the 2 sides had not agreed on.
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Presumably that one large factor was whether or not or not Putin needs to be allowed to keep the territory of Ukraine that his forces have already annexed.
This is a level of rivalry not just for the Ukrainian people, but for America´s NATO allies, who’re united within the perception that giving Putin one thing of Ukraine won’t fulfill his urge for food for land, but solely encourage it.
There are these at home within the US who say that this is fever-dream of war-mongers. But America’s allies in Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, Finland, Sweden and almost all of the remaining of Europe concern it.
And for them this is not some theoretical, grand-strategy sport.
It is a matter of whether or not their international locations can be at existential risk of invasion by Putin subsequent.
Putin urged the following assembly between the 2 leaders ought to happen in Moscow. AFP by way of Getty Images
Trump had a cautious sport to stability in Alaska.
He managed to encourage Vladimir Putin to the negotiating desk.
And he did get Putin to say that he is “sincerely interested” in ending the battle. Something that Putin described as “a tragedy.”
As although his land invasion was like a storm or a tsunami.
Just one thing that occurs in nature, but might be cleaned up afterwards.
But it was a begin.
Trump informed the world that the talks had been constructive.
At the top of the press convention he referred to as Putin “Vladimir” and Putin urged that maybe the following assembly could be in Moscow.
“I could see it possibly happening,” mentioned Trump, jokily.
And wherever it occurs, if the 2 leaders can have additional conferences which may help convey an finish to the warfare then that may very well be a good factor.
But Trump wants to keep in thoughts one thing else Putin mentioned after they weren’t behind closed doorways.
During his prolonged remarks (for much longer than Trump’s), Putin talked about how a lot Russia and Ukraine have in common and what bonds and roots they share.
Trump ought to do not forget that. Putin can faux to have the best reference to you.
And he’ll still attempt to flatten you.
