What face of Donald Trump will we see with Putin? This will be one of the keys to the appointment
Donald Trump is meeting Vladimir Putin in Alaska today at a meeting full of doubts: the US president avoided criticizing the Russian leader in the past and has hardened his speech in recent months, but doubts remain whether he will maintain that firmness or seek a rapprochement with Moscow.
When US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin met in Helsinki in 2018, allies worried that Trump would line up with the Russian leader against his intelligence services about possible electoral interference.
Trump will now travel to Alaska to meet Putin in another mood: the Russian refusal to negotiate the end of the Ukrainian war and the continued firing of missiles at Ukrainian cities.
The world wants to know if Anchorage will see the toughest version of Trump or a different face.
The issue is crucial for Ukraine, which has lost strength to Russia after three and a half years of fierce fighting. Despite its sharper tone toward Putin in recent months, Trump has a long history of attempts to appease the Russian leader. When Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, Trump avoided directly criticizing Putin.
Kremlin observers wonder if Trump will once again seduce Putin and argue that Russia has the right to dominate Ukraine. "It is reasonable to fear that Putin will deceive Trump and close a disgraceful deal at Ukraine's expense," said Dan Fried, a former diplomat with several US presidents and now at the Atlantic Council.
On Tuesday, spokesman Karoline Leavitt said the meeting will be a "listening exercise. "On Wednesday, Trump said he could hold a second meeting with Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky if the meeting goes well in Alaska.
Concessions and complaints
When Trump returned to the White House in January, he tried to regain the kindness of his first term with Putin, showing understanding for his international isolation and promising to end the war in 24 hours.
In March, special envoy Steve Witkoff suggested in a conversation with Tucker Carlson that Russia was entitled to stay with four Ukrainian regions (Donetsk, Lugansk, Zaporiyia, and Jerson) for being Russian-speaking.
At a tense meeting in February, Trump and Vice President JD Vance rebuked Zelensky for his handling of the war, which they liked the toughest sectors in Moscow.
Despite this, Putin has refused to follow Trump's script to bring both sides to an agreement.
Trump took a tougher tone in July because Putin continued his attacks. He has agreed to send new weapons to Ukraine (which Europe will pay for) and has threatened new financial sanctions against Moscow. Last week he imposed an additional 25% tax on India for buying Russian oil.
"The tone of the White House has changed, but there has been no extension of sanctions or financial commitment to strengthen security in Ukraine. Deadlines for new sanctions are being delayed," said Nicholas Fenton of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in Europe, Russia and Eurasia.
On Monday, Trump declared that it will take two minutes to find out if Putin is willing to surrender: "You may say," Good luck, keep fighting, "or he might say," We can come to an agreement. "
Temptation of agreement
Trump believes that the temptation to close the deal is great because the world is watching them. He has openly campaigned for a Nobel Peace Prize, praising his diplomatic victories and worrying US allies about his desire to reach an agreement for Ukraine.
In recent days, the leaders of Ukraine and Europe have rejected Trump's idea that Russia and Ukraine will have to exchange territories for peace.
Russia has occupied vast areas of eastern Crimea and Ukraine, and Ukraine no longer controls any Russian territory, so what can be exchanged?
Trump has stressed that, thanks to his personal relationship with Putin, he is the only one capable of ending the war.
John Bolton, Trump's former national security adviser and currently one of his critics, fears that Putin will "start doing magic" about the president.
"Personal relationships have a place in diplomacy like everything else, but when you're one of the tough guys in the world, Vladimir Putin, this is not about emotions, it's about cold calculations. Trump doesn't understand that," Bolton said.
In a post posted on social media on Wednesday, Trump complained that "very unfair media are working against my meeting with Putin," referring to "fired losers," referring to Bolton.
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