After the summit in Alaska: Alaska summit with Trump: How Putin prevailed

For Vladimir Putin, the summit with US President Donald Trump in Alaska could hardly have walked better: reception on the red carpet, conversation at eye level and then also withdrawing the demand for a ceasefire as a condition for peace talks. All of this without the Russian president made visible concessions.

In contrast, in Kiev and among the European allies of the United States, the hangover mood the day after the meeting in Anchorage should be great. The worst scenario – a deal over the head of the Ukrainians – did not become a reality for the time being. But the disillusionment is clearly noticeable.

Selenskyj should come to Washington

“Our point of view is: first a ceasefire and then everything else,” said a consultant by Ukrainian President Wolodymyr Selenskyj on TV. If the fighting continues during the talks, there are “great risks to blackmail Ukraine,” said the consultant.

EU foreign commissioner Kaja Kallas praised Trump’s determination to achieve a peace agreement. However, she warned: “However, the hard reality is that Russia does not intend to end this war in the foreseeable future.” Putin play temporary time.

From the United States, it was initially not confirmed whether the United States is willing to give Ukraine security guarantees, as European heads of state and government announced. The only thing that is certain is that Selenskyj should travel to Washington next Monday. It is unlikely that there will be a triple summit with Putin, as the Ukrainian demands.

Cancellation of the request for ceasefire

Trump first informed Selenskyj and then the NATO allies by phone about the course of the conversation with Putin. In his short message service Truth Social, he then wrote that everyone agreed that the best way for peace in Ukraine was to reach a peace agreement directly – and not an armistice agreement that often does not consider.

Trump described the summit with Putin as a “great and very successful day”. If everything flaps in Washington while visiting Selenskyj, a meeting with Putin will be agreed.

Before talking to the Russian head of state, Trump had pushed on an immediate ceasefire. For the European allies, this was one of the most important concerns in the days before the summit. “A ceasefire must be at the beginning,” Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) had made it clear.

From a European perspective a disaster

The fact that Trump is now apparently swinging onto the Russian line is a serious defeat for the transatlantic alliance. Political scientist Carlo Masala from the Bundeswehr University in Munich told the “Bild”: “By excluding an immediate ceasefire and wants to negotiate a” peace agreement “instead, he has stood on Putin’s side. From a European perspective, this is a disaster.”

Russia’s ex-President Dmitri Medvedev triumphed. “The meeting has shown that negotiations are possible without prior conditions and at the same time with the continuation of the special surgery military operation,” wrote Medvedev at Telegram. Russia officially describes the war against Ukraine with military special surgery.

It was completely unclear whether Putin made concessions in the about three -hour conversation with Trump. According to information from Moscow, a three-person meeting with Trump, Putin and Selenskyj was not an issue.

Europeans: USA for security guarantees ready

US Senator Lindsey Graham, on the other hand, expressed the hope that such a three-man summit could make the breakthrough to peace before Christmas. If such a meeting should not occur, he called for consequences for Putin and “those who buy his oil and gas”.

The question of whether the United States is available as a guarantee for peace remained unanswered from Washington. In a statement by several European heads of state and government – among them Chancellor Friedrich Merz – it was said that Washington was greeted with security guarantees.

A consent of Ukraine to a negotiating solution is only conceivable if it can be sure that its state existence and sovereignty remains effectively preserved, it was also said from government circles in Berlin.

Coalition of the willing advises

The British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said according to a separate message: “I welcome the willingness of the United States to give solid security guarantees together with Europe as part of an agreement between Ukraine.”

France’s President Emmanuel Macron demanded that the pressure on Russia had to be maintained. At the same time, he also spoke out for robust security guarantees. On Sunday a video count of the “coalition of the willing” should take place, as it was said by the Élysée Palace in Paris. This means the allied Kievs, which are already to support a mission to ensure peace. Macron will lead the meeting together with Federal Chancellor Merz and the British Prime Minister Strander.

Italy’s head of government Giorgia Melone announced that Trump had taken up the Italian idea of a collective protective clause based on Article 5 of NATO. According to Ukraine Meloni, this would enable the support of all of its partners, including the United States, to be intervened that are willing to intervene in the event of a new attack. However, there were initially no concrete statements on the US side.

With regard to his visit to Washington on Monday, Selenskyj announced: “I will discuss all the details about the end of the murder, about the end of the war with President Trump in Washington on Monday.” A real peace had to be achieved, not just a further break between Russian invasions.