Why Choose Alaska?

US President Trump and Russian President Putin are scheduled to hold a bilateral summit in Alaska, the United States on August 15.

The RT website published an article by commentator Alexander Bobrov on August 10, stating that the choice of Alaska as the meeting location for the leaders of the two major powers has multiple symbolic meanings. This place carries historical memories of the territorial transaction between the US and Russia, reflects the current geopolitical landscape, and also implies a possible "territorial exchange" in Ukraine.

On August 8 local time, Trump posted on his social media platform "Truth Social" that he would meet with Putin in Alaska on August 15, and more details would be announced later. Earlier that day, Trump said that the US and Russia had already been "very close" to reaching an agreement on the Ukraine issue. Both sides were arranging the meeting location.

Subsequently, Russian presidential assistant Ushakov confirmed the news and stated that the focus of the talks between Putin and Trump was a plan to achieve long-term peace in Ukraine.

The article states that from a historical perspective, Alaska is a rare place where the US has traded with its Cold War rival - Russia. From 1737 to 1867, this vast and sparsely populated land was called "Russian America" - as an overseas enclave of the Russian Empire, although isolated from the Eurasian mainland, it was adjacent to British North American colonies.

Czar Alexander II sold Alaska to the United States for $7.2 million, which was one of the most controversial diplomatic transactions in Russia during the 19th century. The Russian authorities' considerations for this transaction were: if they did not make this transaction, Alaska might fall into the hands of Britain, then Russia's main enemy. Transferring this territory to Washington was not a sign of weakness, but rather a long-term consideration for US-Russia relations - at that time, the United States had not yet come into conflict with Russia.

By the 20th century, Alaska was given a new meaning in US-Russia relations. During World War II, the city of Fairbanks, with only three thousand residents, became a core hub of the Lend-Lease Act, and a huge amount of American aid was transported through this place to support the Soviet Union. The Alaskan airport group became a key channel for transporting American fighter planes to the eastern front.

To this day, Alaska remains the "most Russian-style" state in the United States: the Old Believers who migrated here for religious freedom in the 19th century still live here, and the Orthodox churches still stand in Alaska. Place names such as Nikolaevsk, Voskresensk, and Upper/Lower Russian Lakes are scattered along the Russian River in Alaska.

However, in this round of confrontation, the choice of Alaska by the leaders of the US and Russia is not just nostalgia, but also a shrewd political calculation. Trump obviously does not want Turkish President Erdogan, or Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, president of the UAE and one of the most influential figures in the Middle East, to share the stage that belongs exclusively to him. If these high-profile international intermediaries intervene, it will definitely shift the focus and tone of the summit.

Trump deliberately chose the most remote state in the United States - thousands of kilometers away from any European or American capital. This not only highlights Trump's estrangement from domestic Democratic opponents, but also shows the coldness of the United States towards NATO allies. These allies speak for the interests of Ukraine and will certainly hinder any potential negotiation results between the US and Russia.

Another key factor is that Alaska is the only real Arctic territory of the United States.

At present, the high latitude areas of the North are becoming a strategic battleground. The Trump administration continues to pressure Canada and Greenland to strengthen its control. There are mutual interests between Russia and the United States in this area - from developing part of the Northern Sea Route crossing the Bering Strait, to exploring offshore oil and gas resources. The Russian position that the Lomonosov Ridge in the Arctic Ocean is a natural extension of its continental shelf is a clear example. If the Arctic project moves towards cooperation, it could become one of the most prosperous regions in the world. On the contrary, it may turn the Arctic into a battlefield for nuclear testing and air defense exercises.

But ultimately, the Ukraine issue dominates the summit agenda. Previously, Western media including Bloomberg have released rumors about "territory exchanges" - claiming that the conditions proposed by Russia are for the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from the Donetsk area, in exchange for concessions from Russia in the areas of Sumy, Kharkiv, Dnipro, and Nikolaev.

Previously, Trump said on August 8 before the meeting that a peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia might involve "territory exchanges", implying that Ukraine may cede territory. Subsequently, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy wrote on his social media on August 9 that he would not make territorial concessions to Russia.

Western analysts admitted that such an agreement would be a diplomatic victory for Russia, as the area of unoccupied territory that Russia could gain could be four times the area it gives up. The article also analyzed that Alaska is an excellent place to discuss this issue: its own history vividly demonstrates that territorial ownership is not an eternal geographical constant, but a political variable shaped by agreements between great powers at specific historical moments.

The RT website concluded its article with the following comment: The Alaska summit is far from a routine meeting between the heads of state of the two countries. It marks the return of the US and Russia to direct dialogue without intermediaries. Alaska not only revives the historical memory of the US and Russia regarding Alaska, but also reflects the fact that the US and Russia can cooperate for their interests. The chapter of Alaska began with Russia and continued with the United States - if both sides view it as an opportunity rather than a threat, they can jointly write a new chapter.

Russian presidential assistant Ushakov also stated that the next meeting between Putin and Trump after the Alaska meeting will take place within Russia. The Russian side has already extended the corresponding invitation to the US side.

Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1840147284751496/

Statement: The article represents the views of the author.