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It was one of the most turbulent and most important weeks in the global political struggle for the Ukraine secretary. She started on Friday with the embarrassing summit in Alaska between US President Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. Followed by seven of the most prominent European heads of state who were in a hurry to the side of the Ukrainian President Wolodymyr Selenskyj three days later and came to the White House, To stand up to Trump at a hastily scheduled meeting.
A balancing act between war and fossil interests
Trump gave at least two of Putin’s most dangerous demands. No ceasefire in Ukraine and no further sanctions on Russian oil and gas. Russia came closer to his goal of entering the global economy. Freed from new sanctions and with rich advantages for the largest oil and gas companies in the world. Exxonmobil was promised at the summit lucrative contracts. Ukraine tried to counteract by offering oil and gas projects and a refinery especially for US companies under Trump’s US Ukraine mineral agreement. Under the guise of American property, an attempt is also made to expand the sale of Russian energy sources.
The talks could not slow down the brutal war of Russia against Ukraine. Instead, a new global power balance became visible. The United States under Trump continues to be open to the side of brutal autocrats and dictators.
“Putin was completely isolated from the West. And now a US president invites him to Alaska. For something so symbolic and important, without Putin having to give anything to the war except the war in Ukraine,” says Sergey Radchenko, historian at Johns-Hopkins University. “Putin should find that a huge victory. Without having paid a price for it.”
The summit, officially scheduled to end the war, revolved around the USA and Russia at least as strongly. “Under the guise of peace talks, Putin is looking for political and economic profit. Including a relief for global pressure,” explains Yuliia Melnyk, environmental consultant and co -founder of the Ukrainian Organization EKOLTAVA.
Protests in Alaska – Putin’s “victory round”
“I thought this war was black and white that it was clear who the bad guys are – but the United States is no longer the good ones,” says Ukrainian Mariia Freeman sadly. She fled Luhansk in 2014 and now lives in Anchorage. On the eve of the summit, she stood on a street corner with hundreds of other people, Ukrainian flags and sunflowers. Her protest posters (“Where’s Zelensky?”, “Stay Home Dictator!”) Almost almost went under – a loud sign of solidarity in the horn of passing cars.
Putin presented himself triumphantly at the actual meeting, while Trump looked strikingly small. Pictures like Putin walk over a red carpet on US military grounds, spread with horror in Ukrainian networks. The ICC arrest warrant against Putin did not prevent its delivery in the United States-Washington is not a member of the court. Instead, he drove side by side with Trump in the presidential sedan “Beast”.
Fossil deals in the center of the summit
The joint press interview was more reminiscent of Russian state television. Putin spoke about historical gangs for eight minutes, economic potential- and about the “tremendous potential” of joint oil and gas projects, especially in the Arctic. He only mentioned Ukraine five times, and then only in connection with maximum demands: no NATO accession, submission of occupied areas, new elections, end of the sanctions.
Trump, on the other hand, seemed tired, spoke only a few minutes, praised Russian business people and announced that they call Selenskyj and the EU. When Putin called: “Next Time in Moscow!” Trump nodded weakly: “I Could See It Possibly Happening.” Questions from the press were undesirable-instead, Fox moderator Sean Hannity received an exclusive interview.
No ceasefire, no sanctions
Before the summit, Trump had threatened Putin with tightened sanctions and the demand for a ceasefire. But after the meeting it was clear: he dropped both points.
Ukrainian energy experts like Jurij Vitreko warn that Putin abuses energy as a geopolitical weapon. The Russian income from oil and gas exports had already pressed sanctions by almost 40 percent. But that’s exactly why Putin wants to get rid of her – and Trump seems ready to pave this way.
Researchers like Isaac Levi from the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air emphasize: “The fact that Putin comes to Alaska to negotiate sanctions shows how important they are for Russia’s energy and economic power.”
The “mineral agreement” as a means of pressure
As early as spring, Trump had forced Selenskyj for a controversial mineral agreement that secured far -reaching control over Ukrainian resources to the United States. It includes oil, gas, coal and pipelines – many of them in Russian -occupied areas. Shortly before the summit, Kyiv sold two conveyor blocks with special rights for US companies. Hope of Ukraine: that American investments could also have military protection.
However, experts fear that the United States could also allow Russian gas flow over Ukrainian pipelines at the same time – an enormous victory for Moscow.
Fossil dependency as a danger
“We cannot fall back into a dark energy future that strengthens dictators like Putin and finances wars,” warns the Ukrainian lawyer Switlana Romanko. Only the exit from oil and gas can secure permanent peace.
At the same time, US investors are already working on the revival of the controversial North Stream 2 project, others want to acquire shares in Turkstream. This would redesive its energy dependency in Europe, secured by US participation.
Putin’s vision remains clear: transforming Ukraine into a kind of “Belarus-Plus”-a vassal state under Russian control. And Trump seems ready to pave his way with fossil shops.
Final picture: protest instead of resignation
For the Ukrainian Freeman in Anchorage, the protest on site is a small victory: “It is better to stand on the street than despair at home alone.” She “empowered” that hundreds demonstrated with her. But the pictures of the red carpet for Putin in Alaska show that the fight against war, fossil dependence and authoritarian deals is far from over.