Trump, Putin Plan 2025 Alaska Summit on Ukraine Peace Talks

A summit between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin is scheduled for August 15, 2025, in Alaska to discuss a potential peace deal regarding the war in Ukraine, notably without the participation of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The absence of Ukraine has drawn criticism, with many viewing the talks as an exercise in Great Power arrogance that risks sidelining the nation most affected by the conflict, thereby undermining the legitimacy and potential success of any agreements reached. Experts express skepticism about the summit's ability to produce a meaningful peace deal, noting that neither Russia nor Ukraine has shown willingness to concede territory, and that imposing peace externally on a nuclear-armed Russia is unlikely to succeed. Parallels have been drawn to historical appeasement, highlighting the risk of conceding to aggression without addressing the underlying war crimes and violations by Russia, which continues its violent campaign despite ceasefire proposals. The summit also serves as a stage for both Trump and Putin to pursue personal legacies, with diplomacy potentially driven more by their ambitions than by international law or moral considerations. Overall, observers anticipate a limited set of agreements at best, with the broader conflict and Ukraine's sovereignty remaining unresolved.