ALBAWABA - The New York Times reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin emerged as the main beneficiary of the Alaska summit with U.S. President Donald Trump, despite the meeting’s failure to deliver progress on the war in Ukraine.
The highly anticipated summit ended in just over three hours without even a temporary ceasefire agreement — the first step many hoped would pave the way for broader negotiations. For Ukrainians and European allies, the breakdown brought a sense of relief, as fears lingered that Trump might concede to Russia’s territorial demands and pressure President Volodymyr Zelensky to accept a painful compromise.
While Trump avoided making concessions on Ukrainian territory, his tone toward Putin unsettled Kyiv. He repeatedly referred to the Russian leader in warm terms and suggested that responsibility for reaching a ceasefire now rests with Zelensky. Analysts say this approach left Ukraine questioning Washington’s reliability as a partner.
Putin’s “Greatest Gift”
According to the NYT, Putin secured a major symbolic victory: a return to international legitimacy. Once shunned as a pariah under sanctions and an international arrest warrant, Putin was hosted on American soil with handshakes, smiles, and military honors. Trump even elevated Moscow’s global status by declaring, “We are number one, they are number two in the world,” sidelining China’s claim to global influence.
The summit also ended without mention of secondary sanctions against countries buying Russian oil, despite previous U.S. deadlines. Trump’s warnings of “severe consequences” if no ceasefire emerged were effectively neutralized by Putin’s presence and demeanor.
In less than four hours, Putin managed to ease pressure over sanctions, restore his place on the world stage, and project himself as a statesman rather than an isolated dictator. The paper concluded that while no deal was struck, Putin left Alaska having achieved one of his core wartime objectives: legitimacy as a global player once again.
