Reference News Network August 14 report: The U.S. magazine Foreign Policy's quarterly website published an article titled "The Risks of the Trump-Putin Summit" on August 12, authored by John Hultman. The following is a translated version of the article:

U.S. President Trump will meet with Russian President Putin on the 15th in Alaska to discuss the possibility of a ceasefire in Ukraine. There is significant skepticism about what actual results the Alaska summit can achieve, especially considering that Ukrainian President Zelenskyy was not invited. Even Trump downplayed expectations for the summit on the 11th, calling it a "tentative meeting," indicating that he does not expect the meeting to result in specific agreements.

Kyiv and its supporters are concerned that Putin might use this meeting to push Trump to support a deal favorable to Russia. Zelenskyy's relationship with Trump has been unstable for years, and in a speech on the evening of the 10th, the former warned that Putin wants to "deceive the United States." The Ukrainian leader also stated on the 11th that Putin would portray the meeting with the U.S. as "his personal victory, then continue as he pleases."

John Forment, a former British military attaché in Moscow and Kyiv, said that since news of the Trump-Putin summit plans emerged, he has been "deeply concerned," with concerns including "confusion about what peace terms are being considered; Trump's eagerness to reach an agreement to strengthen his 'peacemaker' image; his subservience to Putin; and his apparent willingness to reach an agreement without Ukraine's involvement."

Forment, a current associate researcher at the Royal Institute of International Affairs in the UK, said: "Putin has made no concessions and avoided sanctions, and he will be happy to return to the negotiating table."

The summit will take place one week after a deadline set by Trump for Russia. Trump had previously demanded that Russia end the war before the deadline, or face new severe sanctions. However, Trump announced he would meet with Putin.

Before Trump announced this decision, Witkov visited Moscow for the fifth time last week as a special envoy of the U.S. president, meeting with Putin. Witkov had no prior diplomatic or government experience before being appointed as a special envoy, and his critics have repeatedly claimed that his negotiations on issues such as the Ukraine war exceed his capabilities.

Considering Trump's unpredictable nature and the context in which the summit is taking place, Kyiv's European allies seem anxious about what will happen next. (Translated by Feng Xue)

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