US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are set to meet on Friday in Anchorage, Alaska, sparking concerns about the outcome of their talks. The meeting is seen as a “feel-out” session, with no concrete deal on the table. European leaders fear that Trump’s unorthodox approach to diplomacy may lead to him preying on Russia’s interests.
Trump has said he will know within minutes whether Putin is ready for a ceasefire and will pass on his assessment to Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders. However, critics argue that this approach raises questions about the legitimacy of any agreements made in private settings.
The lack of invitations for European leaders has drawn parallels with the infamous Yalta Conference in 1945, where the US, Soviet Union, and UK decided on the fate of Europe without consulting its nations. Ukraine’s Zelenskyy has stated that it will not cede Russian territory that could be used to launch a new offensive.
Trump’s unpredictability has frustrated both allies and adversaries. China’s Xi Jinping prefers advance work before meeting with Trump due to his mercurial nature, while Russia has grown frustrated with the lack of process in the Trump administration.
The upcoming meeting is set to be a one-on-one encounter between the two leaders, with no advisers present. This raises questions about whether agreements made in private will lead to lasting outcomes. Critics note that past meetings have failed to yield concrete results, citing the Helsinki summit as an example where Trump and Putin agreed on issues but ultimately failed to implement them.
As the stakes remain high, European leaders are keeping a close eye on the situation, aware that Trump’s unorthodox approach could benefit Russia at the expense of Ukraine and other European capitals.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/aug/13/trump-putin-meeting-alaska