The snow-covered calm of Alaska belied the storm that emerged from the weekend&rsquo;s high-stakes meeting between <a title="US" href="https://www.benefitnews24.com/geo-politics/trump-putin-alaska-meet-raises-stakes/17607" target="_blank" rel="noopener">US</a> President Donald Trump and <a title="Russia" href="https://www.benefitnews24.com/geo-politics/india-russia-boost-ties-as-us-eyes-ceasefire/17545" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Russian</a> President Vladimir Putin. Billed as the moment to move closer to peace in Europe&rsquo;s most devastating conflict since the Second World War, the summit has instead deepened Ukraine&rsquo;s anxieties and unsettled its European allies.
For months, Kyiv had been reassured that Washington&rsquo;s backing was firm and uncompromising. The understanding before the summit was clear: Russia must accept a ceasefire or face severe repercussions. Instead, what unfolded in Alaska looked alarmingly like a strategic retreat by the United States and a concession to Kremlin demands.
The key outlines that leaked from the summit reveal a framework that tilts decisively in Moscow&rsquo;s favour. Ukraine would be forced to withdraw its soldiers from the fortified positions it still holds in Donetsk, while Russia would consolidate its grip on parts of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson. In exchange, Putin has reportedly promised in writing not to occupy any new territories in Ukraine or elsewhere in Europe. For Kyiv, such a pledge offers cold comfort, considering Moscow&rsquo;s record of ignoring previous guarantees.
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Even more troubling for Ukraine are the political strings attached. Trump&rsquo;s blueprint requires Kyiv to recognise Russian as an official language nationwide and to provide security guarantees for the Russian Orthodox Church inside its borders&mdash;conditions that entrench Moscow&rsquo;s cultural and religious leverage deep within Ukraine.
In theory, this settlement is designed to end the war outright, bypassing the fragile notion of a ceasefire. As Trump put it on Truth Social, &ldquo;the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a Peace Agreement, and not a mere Ceasefire Agreement, which often do not hold up.&rdquo;
But for Ukraine, this is no peace. It is, as one senior Ukrainian official privately described it, &ldquo;a stab in the back.&rdquo; To them, the Alaska deal looks less like a peace treaty and more like capitulation under duress.
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Russia already controls roughly one-fifth of Ukrainian territory, including three-quarters of Donetsk province, occupied since 2014. By asking Kyiv to formally relinquish its hold in Donetsk and allow Russia to retain captured land, Washington is effectively legitimising Moscow&rsquo;s gains from the war.
This turn of events also places NATO and European capitals in a delicate position. While leaders in Europe cautiously welcomed Washington&rsquo;s attempt to broker peace, they reiterated their intention to tighten sanctions on Russia and stand by Ukraine militarily. For them, Trump&rsquo;s deal undercuts Europe&rsquo;s strategic goal: ensuring Russia does not set a precedent for redrawing borders by force.
The Alaska summit lasted just three hours, but its impact will ripple for years. Trump believes he has charted a path to peace by aligning with Moscow&rsquo;s demand for a direct settlement. Yet, from Kyiv&rsquo;s perspective, the United States has shifted from guarantor to negotiator, leaving Ukraine dangerously exposed.
The next flashpoint arrives Monday, when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is due in Washington for talks with Trump, alongside European leaders. That meeting will reveal whether Kyiv still has a say in its own destiny, or whether the war&rsquo;s future is being determined in backrooms thousands of miles away.
For now, the Alaska Summit stands as a stark reminder: peace can sometimes look perilously like surrender.

Russian President Vladimir Putin (on left), US President Donald Trump (on right)  addressing media (file photo)

Trump’s Alaska talks with Putin tilt heavily in Moscow’s favour, rattling Kyiv and Europe

Alaska Summit: Peace or Ukrainian Capitulation?

Trump’s Alaska talks with Putin tilt heavily in Moscow’s favour, rattling Kyiv and Europe

August 17, 2025 | 14:09 IST