I’m writing to you tonight from the mountains of Kazakhstan, where I’ve been closely following the announcement of an upcoming meeting between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The summit is expected to take place in Alaska, a choice that’s already stirred more than a little controversy.
During a recent press conference, President Trump misspoke twice, saying he would be going “to Russia” rather than Alaska. That slip didn’t go unnoticed in Moscow, where nationalists still talk about Alaska as if it were theirs for the taking. In fact, I’ve seen images of a patch making the rounds among Russian military units that shows Russia and Alaska side by side, with the slogan “We’ll take it all.” Needless to say, the symbolism here is troubling.
Why Ukraine Is Really at Stake
This meeting is about more than just a photo op in Alaska it’s about Ukraine. For over three years, Russia has been waging a brutal war of aggression, making only modest territorial gains while losing staggering numbers of troops and equipment. Despite that, they’re now ramping up attacks, likely to grab as much land as possible before any potential negotiations.
From my vantage point, it’s obvious that Putin’s idea of “peace talks” is simple: keep whatever he’s already taken, and take more if he can before the talking starts. That’s not compromise, that's conquest.
Trump’s Framing of the Talks
President Trump says he’ll go into this meeting to “see what they want to meet about,” and afterward, he’ll speak with President Zelensky and European leaders. He’s also made it clear he wants a “fair deal for both parties.” My question is why should Russia, the aggressor, get a fair shake at the expense of the country they invaded?
Ukraine’s constitution requires a public referendum before giving up any territory. That safeguard exists to prevent exactly the kind of forced surrender Putin is hoping for. Yet Trump has criticized Zelensky for this, as if it’s somehow unreasonable that the Ukrainian president can’t just hand over land.