As the Anchorage summit between Russian leader Vladimir Putin and President Donald Trump is set to take place on Friday, both Moscow and Washington have intensified their efforts to present a united front with their allies.
In a recent call with a group of European leaders, Trump downplayed any daylight between him and his counterparts, stating that he was hopeful for a second productive bilateral meeting with Putin. The President also expressed optimism about the possibility of a trilateral meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after the Alaska summit.
European officials appeared pleased with the call, but their assessment is closely watched by Moscow. SAM Charap, a Russia analyst at RAND think tank, warned that any cracks in US-EU unity would be exploited by Putin to secure favorable concessions.
Meanwhile, Trump’s reported decision to authorize military force against transnational criminal groups has rattled Mexico’s business elites. The US and Mexico have been working together to combat cartel activity, with the latest development involving the extradition of gang leaders to the United States.
In other news, the State Department imposed new visa restrictions on Cuban officials accused of mistreating medical doctors abroad. This move reflects the Trump administration’s gradual ratcheting up economic pressure on Havana.
The National Defense Authorization Act is also shaping up to be a contentious issue, with defense hawks criticizing House Speaker Mike Johnson’s plan to include a ban on government-issued digital currency in the defense bill.
Source: https://www.politico.com/newsletters/national-security-daily/2025/08/13/moscow-and-washington-lean-on-allies-for-support-00508180