The Donald Trump-Vladimir Putin’s summit has strengthened the Russian dictator. The meeting between the US and Russian presidents in Alaska only bolstered the Kremlin’s position and prolonged the war in Ukraine, Foreign Affairs reports. 

Since Russia’s first invasion of Ukraine in 2014, which altered the world order by forcibly changing the borders of a sovereign country, Putin has played the long game. The Alaska summit gave him even more time and strengthened his position to achieve a military victory in a war of attrition against Ukraine.

The summit was never about peace in Ukraine

Its real purpose was to bend the international system to Moscow’s will and maintain a monopoly on power domestically.

Putin emerged victorious in Alaska

Putin has faced little opposition to the Alaska visit. A Russian Levada Center survey showed that 79% of Russians considered the summit a success for Putin, and 51% were more optimistic about improved relations with the US.

“After the summit, Russian media did not have to put out false pronouncements to highlight Putin’s diplomatic triumph,” the report says. 

Legitimizing aggression against Ukraine

The summit allowed Putin to legitimize Moscow’s claims. Russians who doubted the war’s purpose now had grounds to consider the invasion “just.”

During the Anchorage meeting, the dictator emphasized Russia’s “legitimate concerns,” its pursuit of a “fair security balance in Europe and the world,” and the need to “remove all root causes” of the war in Ukraine.

Trump did not refute any claims, effectively agreeing with Putin’s position on Moscow’s right to influence Ukraine’s territorial integrity and Western security guarantees.

“Putin flew home having demonstrated to his subjects that he was right all along, that they must not waver, and that he will win for them,” the report concludes. 

Ukrainian forces are striking targets in the occupied territories of Donetsk Oblast to halt Russian preparation for an autumn counteroffensive, says Oleksii Hetman, Radio NV reports. 

Ukrainian attacks lay the groundwork for an advance

“The Russians are planning very powerful attacks, so they are pulling in troops and redeploying,” explains Hetman. 

That’s why Ukraine must destroy and weaken them as much as possible, and prepare for its own offensive actions. 

A variety of Ukrainian weapons

Hetman believes that it is difficult to say exactly which weapons were used in the strikes, but that is not critical.

“We have a large arsenal of missiles: ‘Palyanytsya,’ ‘Peklo,’ ‘Trembita,’ ‘Flamingo.’ What exactly hit doesn’t make much difference. We carefully plan attacks and don’t use high-powered missiles where smaller ones are sufficient,” he says.

Precision strike strategy

According to the expert, every attack is carefully calculated. Ukraine employs its weapons based on the strategic importance of each target: more powerful missiles are used only where maximum effect is needed.

These actions drain the Russian military and set the conditions for future offensive operations.

US President Donald Trump’s misreading of Russia has cost Ukraine dearly. Russian forces exploited the first half-year of the new US presidency to advance on the front lines and kill civilians, taking advantage of a flawed understanding of Moscow’s mindset.

Sanctions will not alter the Kremlin’s goal

Trump has expressed willingness to impose sanctions on Russia, yet economic pressure alone will not deter Putin from his primary objective: defeating Ukraine.

The American leader’s challenge is immense: inflict enough damage on Moscow to change its behavior while keeping diplomatic channels open.

In practice, this is impossible, as Putin does not seek peace, and confusion in Trump’s thinking only exacerbates the problem.

Putin exploits time and allies

The past eight months of American governance have been wasted from the perspective of strategic defense for Ukraine and Europe, allowing Moscow to strengthen its position.

After attacks on the offices of the EU, the British Council, and Ukraine’s Cabinet of Ministers, it became clear that Putin acts with impunity.

A meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping reinforced his sense of support from international allies, and Moscow continues to receive money, weapons, hydrocarbons, and even special forces from North Korea.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials fear new attacks on Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast and advances north toward Kupiansk in Kharkiv Oblast. The Kremlin’s time gain gives Putin a strategic advantage that Washington has yet to offset. Clearly, this approach requires urgent change.

Ukraine once again becomes the center of global security. On Independence Day, August 24, the Defence Cooperation Forum. Future Warfare was held in Kyiv, according to the Ukraine’s Defense Ministry. 

The significance of this event for Ukraine is underscored by the fact that the main session was chaired by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy with the participation of international partners. The forum was held in a shelter. 

World leaders on the future of war

The defense ministers of Denmark, Canada, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Sweden, representatives of the United Kingdom, Estonia, and the Czech Republic, as well as delegates from the EU and NATO, attended the forum. 

Key issues of modern defense were discussed:

• digitalization of the military sphere,
• innovations,
• The use of artificial intelligence in warfare.

Ukraine as part of Europe’s collective security

“We will be part of the European Union and an integral part of joint security strategies. It is now important to more closely integrate our defense industries to solve common tasks,” Ukraine’s Defense Minister Denys Shmyhal emphasized. 

Build in Ukraine: a new format of cooperation

Ukraine called on partners to join the Build in Ukraine program, which provides for the creation of:

• factories and service centers,
• production lines,
• joint projects with domestic manufacturers — from co-design to licensed production.

“We are strong because we are together. United by goals and values, we will win, defend Ukraine and the free world,” the defense minister stated.