Anticlimax of Trumps ‘Vredestop’ is mainly a win for Putin

No ceasefire. No Russian commitments. No new nuclear non -proliferation deal. No trade agreements. Not a word about sanctions. No redesign of the national borders. No view of peace in Ukraine. Nothing at all in Anchorage.

After their meeting on a military base near the capital of Alaska on Friday, both US President Donald Trump and the Russian Vladimir Putin showed himself positive about their first meeting in Trumps second term in speeches, and also the first with an American president since Russia Ukrainine invaded in 2022.

Putin spoke of “an understanding” that has to pave the way to peace in Ukraine, as long as “KYIV and European capitals (…) do not raise obstacles or trying to disturb the starting progress with provocations or intrigues behind the scenes.”

No concrete success

Trump added: “We agreed on a lot of points, most, I would say. On a few important points that we are not yet completely out of, we have made some progress. There is no deal until there is a deal.” In a conversation with TV channel Fox News, Trump gave the meeting “a ten, we could find it fine with each other”, but he did not let go of what agreement was reached, nor why no concrete success could be presented.

Possibly in the coming hours and days details about what the presidents, flanked by their Foreign Ministers and distinguished negotiators, discussed almost three hours. Perhaps after consultation with the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zensky, a – historical – meeting between all three presidents can be planned, as Trump suggested at Fox. But based on the spectacle on Friday, Putin can celebrate his return to the world stage and Trump is self -appointed ‘peacemaker and more unierful’ empty -handed.

From Ukraine, some relief sounded that Trump seems to have in any case not weakened the position of the attacked country by promising Putin public territory. But the contrast between this summit with Putin in Alaska and Zensky’s soffering in the White House in February was huge.

Competition

The start of the top was a competition of imaging, intended for American and Russian home crowd – and the Norwegian Nobel Committee. Donald Trump (79) was the first to come from his plane staircase. A little stram, persistent on the handrail and focused on the points of his shoes. Not as rickety as his predecessor, Joe Biden, but certainly not as smoothly as Vladimir Putin (72) then rushed out of his plane.

Trumps length, handshake and the flying American bombers helped him in front of the cameras. But he looked too eager to receive the Russian dictator wanted by the International Criminal Court. Putin was received on the military base with all the Eaards: with a red carpet, a ride in the presidential limousine, ‘the beast’, and even briefly applause from Trump when it was waiting on the runway. “Hello, my neighbor,” according to Putin, were the words with which Trump received him.

The Russian president simply found his way to Trumps Hart en Ego by confirming the claim of the Republican that he would never have fallen in 2022 if Trump had been president instead of Biden at the time. It seems that flattery is the most important thing that Trump achieved: if he had agreed something tangible with Putin, he would probably have put on about it. Due to a planned lunch with more ministers, a line went.

Before the meeting in Alaska, Trump, for his do, had the Lat for success particularly low laid. On Wednesday, Trump promised “serious consequences,” such as economic sanctions, if Putin would not accept steps towards a ceasefire on Friday. After the top he did not mention that with a word.

Instead, Trump did not respond negatively when Putin, in English, suggested to organize the next meeting in Moscow. “Interesting,” the American president responded. “I’m going to get some nagging with that, but I may see it happen.” Putin has no appetite for peace for Ukraine, but maintenance with Trump tastes him more.

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