Russia Sizes up US as Alaska Summit Window Narrows

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With just 48 hours to go, Russia seeks assurances while Trump signals hard line; Zelensky rejects territorial concessions

By TRH Global Affairs Desk

NEW DELHI, August 13, 2025 — In a curious diplomatic move, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov phoned US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to discuss preparations for the August 15 Alaska meeting between Presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump.

The Russian Foreign Ministry confirmed that both sides “expressed mutual willingness to hold a successful event.” However, former Indian diplomat M.K. Bhadrakumar noted the timing — less than 48 hours before the talks — suggested Moscow’s unease. He said Russia may be concerned that Trump appears “isolated within the collective West” and “on the defensive” at home, with Putin’s prestige at stake.

Diplomatic expectations remain low for a breakthrough on the Ukraine war. Bhadrakumar said the only realistic outcomes could be agreement on restoring US-Russia flights and improving embassy working conditions — areas under Trump’s discretion. Moscow is also pinning hopes on economic cooperation projects, he added in a post on X.

At the Kennedy Center in Washington, Trump warned that “very severe consequences” await Russia if Putin refuses to halt the Ukraine war after Friday’s meeting. Asked if he could persuade Putin to stop targeting civilians, Trump was blunt: “I guess the answer to that is no,” citing continued Russian strikes on civilian targets despite prior conversations.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, speaking alongside German Chancellor Olaf Merz after talks with Trump, insisted that Kyiv must be part of any negotiations affecting its sovereignty. Ukraine is open to discussing territorial issues only on the basis of the current contact line and after a ceasefire is in place, he said.

Zelensky outlined five joint principles agreed with Kyiv’s partners, including Ukraine’s right to join NATO, rejection of any legal recognition of occupied territories, and the necessity of security guarantees. The Defence Forces, he added, will not withdraw from Donbas in exchange for a ceasefire.

Trump voiced support for Ukraine’s positions and proposed follow-up discussions with Zelensky after his summit with Putin. Zelensky maintained that the “central topic” of the Trump-Putin meeting must be the ceasefire.

The high-stakes Alaska talks now face a narrow diplomatic path — with the war’s most contentious questions still far from resolution.