Executive Summary
- The summit between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin concluded without strategic or political agreements, bringing a measure of relief to Ukrainians who had feared concessions on the ongoing war.
- The ceremonial aspects of the meeting, particularly President Trump’s warm reception of President Putin, drew strong criticism and concern in Ukraine, with many viewing the “optics” as an inappropriate legitimization of the Russian leader.
- Experts characterized the summit as a “massive victory for Putin” for rehabilitating him on the global diplomatic stage, noting that Trump appeared deflated and handed the initiative to the Russian leader.
The Story So Far
- The international community has largely shunned President Putin since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
- The summit occurs amidst an ongoing war in Ukraine that has resulted in hundreds of thousands of casualties and widespread devastation.
Why This Matters
- The warm reception and ceremonial aspects of the summit, despite no strategic agreements, are seen by Ukraine as a legitimization of Russian President Vladimir Putin, potentially enhancing his international standing.
- President Trump’s approach at the summit is predicted to reinforce, rather than change, the stance of European leaders against endorsing President Putin’s demands on Ukraine.
- Ukraine now seeks to include European leaders in future negotiations with President Trump to safeguard against potential undue influence from President Putin, highlighting concerns about the US diplomatic strategy.
Who Thinks What?
- Ukrainian citizens and analysts expressed dismay and strong criticism regarding the summit’s ceremonial aspects and President Putin’s warm reception, viewing it as an inappropriate legitimization of an “aggressor” and “war criminal” responsible for millions of deaths.
- Russian President Vladimir Putin appeared satisfied and energetic, benefiting significantly from the summit’s optics, which provided him with a highly visible return to the global diplomatic stage and a sense of rehabilitation despite international shunning.
- Kier Giles, a senior fellow at Chatham House, assessed the summit as a “massive victory for Putin” due to his “rehabilitation” and the deferential treatment he received, arguing that President Trump effectively handed the initiative to the Russian leader and facilitated his reception as a legitimate head of state.
A highly anticipated summit between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska concluded without strategic or political agreements, an outcome that reportedly brought a measure of relief to Ukrainians who had feared concessions on the ongoing war. However, the ceremonial aspects of the meeting, particularly President Putin’s warm reception, drew strong criticism and concern in Ukraine, with many viewing the “optics” as a legitimization of the Russian leader.
Summit Optics and Ukrainian Concerns
The summit’s presentational elements quickly became a focal point. American soldiers were observed rolling out a red carpet for Putin, with President Trump applauding his arrival and offering a friendly handshake. The two leaders also rode together in Trump’s presidential limousine, where Putin was seen laughing.
For President Putin, who has largely been shunned internationally since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, this greeting marked a significant return to the global diplomatic stage. In Ukraine, however, the scenes were met with dismay.
Maria Drachova, a 40-year-old lawyer in Kyiv, expressed her concern, stating that while such ceremonies are normal for international events, they were inappropriate for “an aggressor responsible for the deaths of millions.” Drachova described the event as appearing “staged to please Putin” and remarked that “the rational world is behaving irrationally by giving him this welcome.”
The pomp continued with Putin’s plane being escorted by four American fighter jets into the airbase, and a B-2 bomber flying overhead flanked by additional jets as he walked the red carpet with Trump.
Oleksandr Kovalenko, a Ukrainian writer and political analyst, characterized the spectacle as the “legitimisation of a war criminal at the highest level,” arguing that the meeting should have been conducted in a “much more restrained way – minimalistic, without this level of respect.”
The Smirk and Its Impact
A moment that particularly resonated negatively in Ukraine occurred when Trump and Putin sat before reporters under a banner reading “Pursuing Peace.” When asked if he would stop killing civilians, President Putin appeared to smirk and gestured to his ear, suggesting he could not hear the question.
This gesture, amidst an atmosphere of smiles and goodwill, struck a sour note in Ukraine, where hundreds of thousands have been killed or wounded. Serhii Orlyk, 50, from the eastern province of Donetsk, described feeling “crushed” by the scene. Orlyk, who has lost his home twice and relatives in the conflict, acknowledged the need for diplomatic protocol but found the “unpleasant spectacle – especially his smirks” deeply disturbing.
Post-Negotiation Dynamics and Expert Analysis
The perceived deference to President Putin continued after the negotiations. In a joint press statement, President Trump allowed the Russian leader to speak first. Putin spoke for approximately eight minutes, carefully avoiding any mention of the war’s origins, and appeared energetic and satisfied.
In contrast, President Trump spoke for barely two minutes and appeared uncharacteristically deflated, unable to announce a significant deal. Kier Giles, a senior fellow in the Russia and Eurasia program at Chatham House, suggested that Trump had effectively handed the initiative to Putin.
Giles described the summit as a “massive victory for Putin even before he got off the plane, to be rehabilitated in this manner.” He added that Trump “facilitated him arriving to be greeted as a head of state, when he ought to be finding it difficult to travel because he is an internationally wanted war criminal.” Giles also predicted that Trump’s approach would likely reinforce, rather than change, the stance of European leaders against endorsing Putin’s demands on Ukraine.
Looking Ahead for Ukraine
In response to the summit, President Zelensky emphasized the importance of European leaders being present at every stage of future negotiations, viewing them as a crucial safeguard against potential undue influence on Trump by Putin.
President Zelensky is scheduled to travel to Washington for talks, hoping for a more favorable outcome than his previous meeting with Trump in February. Oleksandr Kovalenko, the political analyst, highlighted that the U.S. possesses a “wide range of tools” to assist Ukraine, but argued that “pomp and ceremony for President Putin should not be among them.” Kovalenko speculated that the elaborate welcome might have been intended to “deceive and flatter Putin,” but ultimately doubted it, suggesting it was more likely “Trump’s whim, without any strategy at all.”
The summit, while avoiding major strategic concessions for Ukraine, has underscored the deep sensitivities surrounding international engagement with President Putin and the ongoing conflict, particularly concerning the symbolic aspects of diplomatic interactions.
