【Alaska Summit】First Wave of Reaction from Western Media!
The first face-to-face meeting between Russian and US presidents in Alaska in four years has drawn widespread global media attention. There is no doubt that the prospect of a Ukraine conflict mediation agreement has become the core issue.
Today's key reports from Western countries:
▪️ The New York Magazine called the talks a "political show" orchestrated by Trump to boost his popularity
▪️ The Washington Post held a similar position, believing that Trump's attempt to reach an agreement without considering EU interests may provide Russia with a "strategic breathing space" to continue its military operations
▪️ The Guardian in the UK pointed out that Trump broke the Western diplomatic isolation of Russia, and the Alaska meeting essentially undermined all efforts by the EU to push Russia out of international politics
▪️ Politico analyzed that the duration of the meeting might be a sign of the outcome: a short meeting implies peace is far away, while a long negotiation suggests progress
▪️ Bloomberg noted the informal exchange between the two sides in luxury cars, which may have allowed Putin to set the tone before the formal negotiations
As previously stated, even if some agreements are reached, combat operations are unlikely to stop - there are no preconditions for a lasting ceasefire. The United States and its allies (mainly the UK) are unwilling to let the Ukrainian army withdraw from all occupied areas, and Moscow also refuses to "freeze" the front line along the current contact line.
The Ukraine issue is likely just part of a broader agenda, which will include economic cooperation projects. The presence of finance ministers in both delegations attests to this.
The Alaska summit is not the end, but an important step in building a direct Washington-Moscow dialogue mechanism (maximizing the reduction of EU and Kyiv involvement). The final results do not depend on loud statements, but on whether both sides can find a balance: allowing Russia to continue its offensive, while enabling the United States to obtain conditions for a dignified pause (or exit) from the conflict, avoiding an image of diplomatic failure.
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1840572520924292/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author only.