It was supposed to be a step toward peace. Instead, it’s turning into a firestorm.
When Donald Trump met Vladimir Putin last month in Alaska, the world watched carefully. What came out of it? No signed agreements, no ceasefire, no breakthrough. But according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Putin still walked away with exactly what he wanted: the optics of a handshake with an American president—and the message that Russia isn’t as isolated as the West wants it to be.
“It’s a pity that Ukraine was not there,” Zelensky told ABC News. “I think President Trump gave Putin what he wanted… he wanted very much to meet with the president of the United States. And I think that Putin got it.”
To Zelensky, the Alaska summit was less about diplomacy and more about perception. Putin, he argued, is “playing games with the United States,” turning photo-ops into propaganda victories. And judging by Moscow’s triumphant coverage of the summit, Zelensky isn’t wrong.
What makes this sting even more for Ukraine is the sense of exclusion. While Trump and Putin smiled for cameras, Kyiv was left on the sidelines, still bleeding resources in its fight for survival. Meanwhile, some EU nations continue to quietly buy Russian oil and gas, prompting Zelensky to blast Western hypocrisy.
Trump hasn’t ignored Moscow’s behavior entirely. He hinted at possible new sanctions and slapped a 25% tariff on Indian imports of Russian oil. But critics argue that these moves don’t erase the bigger problem: Putin got what he craved most—legitimacy.
Russia continues to demand that Ukraine recognize new borders, abandon NATO ambitions, and accept a halt to Western arms deliveries. Zelensky, however, remains adamant: pressure must increase, not soften.
So here’s the unsettling question—was Trump’s summit in Alaska a step toward peace, or just a gift-wrapped victory for Putin at Ukraine’s expense?
