Jens Asbjørn Bøgen
From a Kremlin point of view, Putin did not have to give anything in return.
From a Kremlin point of view, Putin did not have to give anything in return.
What is happening?
The atmosphere in Moscow is reportedly jubilant as Vladimir Putin walked away from the recent Alaska summit with everything he wanted.
The Russian president’s key goals for the summit were simple: keep his war in Ukraine going and avoid fresh oil sanctions.
And he seems to have achieved both.
Trump’s concessions raise eyebrows
One foreign policy insider summed it up bluntly: “Putin gave Trump nothing, but still got everything he wanted. Trump finally listened to his demands.”
The Kremlin sees this as a moment of triumph, with the U.S. president appearing to bend to Russian interests.
Pressure shifts to Ukraine and Europe
Speaking to Express.co.uk, Tatiana Stanovaya of the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Centre warned that Ukraine may now face growing pressure.
“Trump appears to be shifting much of the responsibility on to Kyiv and Europe,” she said.
Red carpet optics stir outrage
Ukraine was visibly shaken by the optics of the summit.
Trump greeted Putin personally on a red carpet in Alaska and ushered him into the presidential limousine—a moment ripe for Kremlin propaganda.
It played out just hours after a Russian missile strike hit a marketplace in Sumy, killing civilians.
Kremlin gloats over U.S. reception
Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova couldn’t resist a jab at Western media:
“For three years they told everyone Russia was isolated, and today they saw a beautiful red carpet laid out for the Russian president in the U.S.”
“Putin got everything”
Sir Bill Browder, vocal Kremlin critic and author of Red Notice, said the summit outcome handed Putin a major strategic victory.
“He didn’t like the idea of sanctions on his oil industry,” he told Sky News. “Suddenly that demand was dropped, and so was any serious call for a ceasefire.”
A green light for war?
Browder warned that Trump has effectively given Putin the green light to continue his war without fear of U.S. consequences.
With sanctions off the table and ceasefire calls muted, Russia’s military actions have escalated.
Devastating strikes continue in Ukraine
On August 28, Russian missiles struck Kyiv, killing at least 23 people—including children aged 2, 14, and 17.
Tymur Tkachenko, head of the Kyiv City Military Administration, confirmed the attack was among the most severe since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022.
Zelenskiy: Missile strike was Moscow’s answer
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called the deadly assault “Moscow’s answer” to global efforts toward peace.
While diplomacy unfolds abroad, the brutal reality of war persists at home, with civilians paying the price.
Kremlin confidence reaches new heights
Despite global condemnation, Moscow’s confidence is surging.
With diplomatic victories abroad and continued military campaigns at home, Russia feels emboldened.
Whether that confidence will last—or provoke further international backlash—remains to be seen.
