The hardest articles to write are those that comment on events in progress. Their unfolding developments are weak on solid and verifiable facts and even weaker on what’s going on behind the scenes.
The event in question began with the announcement of a forthcoming meeting between Russian President Putin and US President Trump at a military base in Alaska. America’s 49th state rarely figures at the centre of major events, yet it holds symbolic value: it was originally a Russian territorial extension into North America via the Bering Strait, which is believed to have been the route through which humans crossed into the New World.
There are two narratives about Russia’s sale of Alaska to the US. One is that the territory was so far from the capital that governing it and exploiting its resources were too costly, so Moscow decided to rid itself of the burden. The second claims that, in 1867, Russia was bankrupt and the $7.2 million offered by president Andrew Johnson was just what was needed to replenish its treasury. As the US, at the time, had just emerged from the Civil War, the offer was seen as a gesture of support for Russia, which had sided with the revolutionaries during the War of Independence and remained neutral during the Civil War.
Aside from that historical connection, Trump’s choice of Alaska as the venue for his meeting with Putin remains a mystery. It is a far cry from the glamorous locations normally chosen for such high-profile events. But the announcement of the meeting itself was sufficient to grab international attention, because it is high time the Ukrainian war draws to a close. Trump had vowed to end the conflict within the first 24 hours after taking office, but realities would not permit him to do so. After coming to power, Trump suggested that any settlement would require Kyiv to make territorial concessions, and he attempted to pressure Kyiv into accepting this, including by suspending military aid to Ukraine.
This gave more than enough encouragement to Moscow to launch further attacks, gradually expanding its territorial control. Then, Trump reversed course and resumed military assistance flows – albeit after Ukrainian President Zelenskyy apologised and European nations agreed to cover the cost. Washington also secured an agreement with Kyiv to extract minerals – including rare earth elements – with which Ukraine is so rich.
Historically, Trump’s relationship with Putin is complex. It began before Trump ran for president the first time. He had business relations with Moscow, which surfaced during the FBI investigation led by James Comey into Russian interference in the 2016 election. Although the result of the investigation was inconclusive and it ended with Comey’s dismissal, the details that surfaced have remained part of US domestic politics and cast a shadow over Trump’s choice of Alaska as the venue for this meeting.
Such historical echoes do not detract from the fact that the war in Ukraine is at the heart of Moscow–Washington relations and, by extension, the global power balance. According to White House sources, the meeting is “exploratory”; its purpose is for the two presidents to listen to each other. Yet Trump has already indicated that an agreement would have to entail Ukrainian territorial concessions, although in a subsequent statement he couched this as mutual concessions.
Be that as it may, Trump’s statements received no positive response from either side. As of a week before this article was written, neither party was willing to compromise. Russia demands continued control of Donbas, while Ukraine insists on reclaiming Crimea. Both sides have broader demands. Russia’s have remained the same since the outset: Ukraine must not join NATO, its regime must change, and it must be subjected to arms limitations. Ukraine, insisting that Russia and Putin personally are the aggressors, refuses to grant territorial or military concessions that would weaken its defence capacities.
Moscow’s demands also include the lifting of all economic sanctions imposed by the West and guarantees against new sanctions. Ukraine wants to regain full sovereignty over its territory and defence guarantees against any future Russian aggression. Russia seeks recognition of its global status and a seat at the table alongside the US and China.
All of which means that the Alaska meeting will not be the last.
* A version of this article appears in print in the 21 August, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
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