【By Observer Net, Chen Sijia】On August 15 local time, US President Trump and Russian President Putin met in Alaska, USA, for a meeting lasting more than two and a half hours. After the meeting, Trump said that the meeting was productive, many issues had been agreed upon, and only a few unresolved problems remained, "both sides have not reached an agreement yet, but there is a good opportunity."
According to the Financial Times, the warm welcome that Putin received in Alaska has caused concerns in Ukraine. A senior Ukrainian government official revealed that at the same time as the summit began, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy and his aides in Kyiv were very tense, they lack confidence in Trump and are worried that they might be excluded from discussions about Ukraine's future.
Before the meeting, the US gave a grand reception to Putin, who visited the US for the first time in ten years. Four US F-22 fighter jets were parked on both sides of the red carpet, and a B-2 bomber led the F-22 fighter jet formation flying overhead. Trump clapped to welcome Putin and invited him to ride in the presidential car with him to the venue.
The Financial Times reported that this seems to mean that the Western attempt to "isolate" Russia has come to an end.
On August 15 local time, Putin arrived in Alaska, USA. Visual China
The show of force by the United States has caused dissatisfaction among Ukrainians. A senior Ukrainian official in Kyiv who watched the live TV broadcast described the scene as "uncomfortable." Ukrainian soldier Oleksandr Solonko said he thought American soldiers were "forced to lay out the red carpet for Putin," "I don't want American soldiers to be humiliated like that."
A senior Ukrainian official told the Financial Times that during the start of the meeting between the leaders of the US and Russia in Alaska, Zelenskyy in Kyiv and his aides were "very tense," fearing that they would be excluded from discussions about Ukraine's future.
Ukrainian officials stated that Zelenskyy hopes the US will make specific commitments regarding Ukraine's security, but the Ukrainian government lacks confidence in Trump, "He says he wants peace, but he is not willing to take the necessary measures to promote peace."
A Ukrainian official who participated in a video conference between Zelenskyy, European leaders, and Trump on the 13th said that Trump's recent attitude has been very "ambiguous," "One day he talks about sanctions, the next day he talks about a trilateral meeting, then he completely changes direction. These things make no sense."
Reuters reported that many Ukrainian citizens are also concerned about the meeting between US and Russian leaders. Several Ukrainians interviewed in Kyiv expressed their pessimism about the summit, worrying that Ukraine's interests may be overlooked.
Anna Sherstniova, a 47-year-old accountant, said: "I don't trust Trump. He says one thing today, another thing tomorrow, and something else the day after. Therefore, I have no confidence in him."
Tetiana Harkavenko, a 65-year-old cleaner, believes that after the "Putin-Trump" meeting, the conflict will continue, "Nothing good will happen. War is war, it won't end like this. We won't give up our territory to anyone."
Liubomyr Yurtsiv, a 26-year-old technician, also predicted that the meeting would not change the situation facing Ukraine, "The most likely result is not positive."
Valerii Kucherenko, a 31-year-old former soldier, also feels pessimistic about the outcome. Kucherenko participated in an offensive by the Ukrainian army in 2023, losing both hands in the battle, and he said, "I hope the peace agreement meets our conditions, but we are all adults, we know it's not that simple. Putin and Trump may reach an agreement, but it won't be beneficial for us."
On August 15 local time, Putin and Trump held a joint press conference. Visual China
Zelenskyy accused Russia of continuing to attack Ukraine before the "Putin-Trump" meeting. On the evening of the 15th, Zelenskyy claimed that Russia tried to launch an attack in eastern Ukraine to "show strength," but failed.
He wrote: "On the day of the talks, they were still attacking, which says a lot. The war is still going on, and it continues because there is no order, nor any sign that Moscow is ready to end the conflict."
Earlier this week, Ukraine disclosed that Russian forces made breakthroughs in the direction of Drobyslav in the northwest of the key city of Pokrovsk in Donetsk (known as Red Army City by Russia), advancing about 10 kilometers. However, Ukrainian officials said on the 14th that the Ukrainian army had stabilized its front lines.
On August 15, Putin and Trump held a meeting in Alaska, USA, lasting more than two and a half hours. At the subsequent press conference, Putin said that he had established a very good direct contact with Trump, saw Trump's willingness to understand the nature of the conflict, and that Russia sincerely hopes to end the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Putin said he agreed with Trump's view that Ukraine's security must be guaranteed, and hoped that mutual understanding could bring peace to Ukraine.
Putin also said that the agreement reached between Russia and the US would not only become the starting point for resolving the Ukraine issue, but also promote the restoration of practical and constructive relations between the US and Russia. He said it was very important to return to the track of cooperation, that the potential for commercial investment between the two countries is huge, and thanked Trump for expressing "good wishes" and a "trustworthy" attitude in the dialogue.
Putin urged Ukraine and Europe not to try to disrupt the meeting. He pointed out that the agreement that may be reached between Russia and the US after that could pave the way for peace in Ukraine, but all fundamental reasons must be eliminated, and all of Russia's concerns must be taken into account.
Trump said that the meeting was productive, many issues had been agreed upon, and only a few points remained unresolved, "both sides have not reached an agreement yet, but there is a good opportunity at the moment."
Trump said he would call NATO leaders, Zelenskyy, and some people he considers appropriate later to inform them about the meeting. He said he hopes that the US and Russia can have good and productive meetings in the future.
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