Before his victory in the November 2024 election, Trump had declared that he would end the war within the first 24 hours of taking office. However, we are now over 200 days past his own deadline.
Trump stated that the meeting with Putin will expedite the peace process. Here is an overview of what we know so far.
Where and when will the meeting be held?
On July 15th, the two leaders will meet in Alaska, a state in the northwest of the US. The Kremlin has confirmed this meeting and has also extended an invitation to Trump to visit Russia following the talks in Alaska.
Yuri Ushakov, a foreign policy advisor to the Kremlin, called the choice of location for the meeting ‘logical’ and said, “Russia and the United States are neighbors, sharing a border. It seems logical for our delegation to simply cross the Bering Strait and hold such an important and highly anticipated summit between the leaders of the two countries in Alaska.”
What does Trump aim to achieve?
For the US president, who portrays himself as a seasoned negotiator, making a significant contribution to peace would be of personal and reputational importance. His political ally, Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu, recently nominated Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Regarding the conflict itself, Trump is seeking a ceasefire at the very least, and a long-term resolution, at best.
Trump also wants to arrange a three-way meeting with Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. However, this proposal has yet to be accepted by either the Russian or the Ukrainian leader.
What does Putin seek to achieve?
The Russian president wants to stop the NATO military alliance from expanding further into Eastern Europe, and it is likely that he will urge Trump to vote against Ukraine’s potential NATO membership.
Another critical issue for him is preventing any possible NATO military presence on Ukrainian territory. Putin also desires a new, Russia-friendly government in Kyiv.
Furthermore, he has repeatedly demanded that certain territories captured by Russian forces during the Ukraine war be permanently transferred to Russia. Putin likely expects Trump to provide assurances on this matter as well.
What are the points of contention in the negotiations?
The main point of disagreement is military action. Russian attacks on military and civilian targets in Ukraine have resulted in numerous deaths and the destruction of Ukrainian infrastructure.
Ukraine is also launching counterattacks inside Russia, causing damage. However, there is an imbalance in terms of population, and Ukraine is keen to end the war and the rising death toll among its own people. But at what cost?
According to experts, Russia probably won’t agree to end the war without some concessions, a pivotal factor being Ukraine’s potential NATO membership.
Ukraine views NATO membership as a way to significantly reduce the likelihood of another Russian attack in the future because when one NATO member is attacked, the others are supposed to come to their aid. NATO includes the US and other nuclear-armed nations, such as the United Kingdom and France.
Another negotiating point will be Ukraine’s borders. Kyiv demands full sovereignty for Ukraine and wants the borders to return to the pre-war status. However, experts say it is unlikely that Russia will agree. Putin wants territories currently occupied by the Russian military to be transferred to Russia.
Russian troops currently occupy large parts of the four eastern Ukrainian regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia, which Russia claims as its own.
Additionally, there are areas elsewhere in Ukraine currently held by the Russian military, as well as the Crimean Peninsula, annexed by Russia in 2014.
This story was originally published in German.
