President Donald Trump views the upcoming summit in Alaska with Vladimir Putin as an opportunity to listen and gain a better understanding of how to approach ending the war, according to the White House’s statement on Tuesday.
However, if he truly aims for peace, Trump needs to go beyond just listening—he has to make a strong impression on the Russian leader. His approach should signal to Putin that any extreme demands will only lead to Russia’s downfall and economic disaster.
Trump has already established a commendable track record in peacemaking among nations like Pakistan, India, and several others. Yet, successfully halting the violence in Ukraine would be a significant achievement, one that even his critics would have to acknowledge.
At the summit, it seems the Russian delegation is likely to ask Trump to endorse Moscow’s severe demands from Kyiv.
Putin might hope that a ceasefire would also prevent the loss of any Russian-held territories.
In the final agreement, he may push for even more concessions, including Ukraine’s permanent neutrality.
Leaders in Kyiv and Europe wisely reject Russia’s demands, realizing that capitulation would only empower Putin. It’s expected that during the meeting, he will try to sway Trump’s opinion against Ukraine, framing them as an unwilling participant in the conflict.
Trump should avoid falling into Putin’s trap. Achieving the most leverage will depend on maintaining a solid and united stance among Washington, Kyiv, and European allies.
Ahead of the summit, the administration coordinated discussions with Ukrainian and European officials, including a call between Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and European leaders.
Still, Trump might consider taking things further by inviting Zelensky to Alaska, even though Moscow has dismissed the idea of a trilateral summit.
A subsequent meeting with Zelensky, possibly at Elmendorf Richardson, would communicate unity before Trump’s face-to-face with Putin.
During talks with Russian officials, Trump should firmly reject their extreme demands, emphasizing that a ceasefire must be prioritized before discussing other issues like territorial disputes.
On Friday, Trump might be able to push Putin towards a temporary ceasefire, at least to halt missile strikes and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure.
The current frontline could serve as a basis for negotiations on potential land exchanges, which should ideally be comfortable for both sides.
As a starting point, Russia might be asked to relinquish control of territories near Kharkiv and Smee in northeastern Ukraine, along with some management of the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant by Kyiv.
Trump should clarify that Moscow will not dictate Ukraine’s military stance or influence Western support.
After the war concludes, Russia would need to accept Ukraine’s right to a European “security force” comprised of potentially 10,000 troops, with support mechanisms functioning along the contact line.
The US won’t equip these forces directly, but it should provide necessary intelligence, targeting, and logistical support.
Yet, if Putin continues to reiterate unacceptable demands, Trump must be ready to exert sustained pressure.
He needs to convey to the dictator that Russia is on borrowed time to make a genuine move toward peace; otherwise, there will be renewed efforts to restrict oil revenue and financial avenues.
Trump has already taken action against India for its dealings in Russian oil, and China could be next. He also needs to impose and enforce broader sanctions against oil tankers within Russia’s “Shadow Fleet.”
In addition, Trump should confirm that Ukraine will receive American arms, noting that such shipments will increase if Putin escalates.
Once the summit concludes, Trump could also facilitate Europe’s access to long-range missiles from US reserves, delivering them to Ukraine, including additional ATACMS.
In an ideal scenario, long-range strikes could target deep into Russia, hitting military industries with weapons like JASSM-ER and Tomahawks.
For too long, Putin has relied on mixed diplomatic strategies to manipulate the situation, as Trump puts it.
That era needs to end.
Though Putin may not change overnight, his long-standing obsession with maintaining influence in Ukraine isn’t likely to fade easily.
However, by adopting a more aggressive stance and illustrating to Putin that continuing the conflict will only result in further complications, Trump could pressure the Russian leader into at least halting the violence.
Such a move would also enhance Trump’s evolving legacy as a peacemaker.
