PRESIDENT Donald Trump claims to have helped end six wars in different parts of the world since he returned to the White House early this year.
He now appears highly optimistic about being able to broker a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine soon to bring to an end the bloody conflict between the two countries — “…if I can get to heaven, this will be one of the reasons”, the American leader told the media ahead of the meeting he hosted for the leaders of Ukraine and seven European countries at the White House.
One of Trump’s campaign promises was to end the war that began more than three and a half years ago when Russia invaded Ukraine. But resolving one of the largest conflicts to have occurred in recent years may not be as easy as Trump thinks. Hundreds of thousands of people have been killed so far on both sides in the conflict, which has virtually turned it into a European war. The Russian invasion was seen as the most serious security threat to the entire West and has united Europe more than at any other time in recent history.
America, too, was one of the largest suppliers of arms to Ukraine before Trump broke away from the ranks, hugely weakening the anti-Russia alliance. His initial efforts failed to get the two sides to agree to a ceasefire. The terms of peace were too vague to be accepted by either side.
While Moscow is not willing to cede the territories it has occupied during the war and accept Nato’s presence in the region, Ukraine is not prepared to make any compromise on its sovereignty. The trust gap is too wide to be bridged. Trump’s threat to completely stop America’s arms supply to Ukraine will not work as Europe stands solidly behind the country. In fact, European military support for Kyiv has increased significantly in recent months.
The Alaska meeting has cemented the rapprochement between Russia and the US.
Meanwhile, Russia intensified its military offensive, occupying more territories over the past few months. It was apparent that even the multiple sanctions clamped on it by the US and its Western allies failed to deter Moscow. Some reports suggest that Russia has not only recouped its military losses but has also expanded its military capabilities. Russia has reportedly lost 250,000 soldiers so far, but even such a large number of casualties has not affected its war efforts.
After an initial setback, Trump has revived peace efforts in recent weeks. He sent his special envoy Steve Witkoff to Moscow earlier this month to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin. The meeting took place days before Trump’s deadline for Russia to reach a peace deal with Ukraine or face economic sanctions. The three-hour meeting with Putin proved very productive. A White House official said the meeting went well and that Russia was eager to continue engaging with the US. The Moscow parleys paved the way for a Trump-Putin summit soon after.
Last week, the US president met his Russian counterpart for the first time since 2019. Trump welcomed Putin back on the world stage with a red carpet welcome when he landed in Alaska. It was Trump’s typical style of diplomacy. It was a remarkable moment for the Russian leader who was spurned by Western nations after Moscow launched the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Putin’s international travel has since been largely limited to nations friendly to Russia. The International Criminal Court had issued a warrant for his arrest on war crime charges.
The Alaska summit failed to produce a ceasefire agreement, as was expected by Trump, but was seen as a victory for Putin. His grand welcome on American soil was beyond expectations. Within a moment, Putin has gone from being a pariah in the West to a partner and friend of the US. The meeting ended earlier than expected without any agreement, yet Trump appeared satisfied.
In post-summit comments, Trump asserted that ‘great progress’ was made in the talks. But he did not share any details on the question of whether any concrete steps were being taken to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict. There was no mention of any of the ‘severe consequences’ that Trump had threatened would follow if a ceasefire was not reached. Putin made it clear that Moscow was not willing to initiate an immediate ceasefire as demanded by the US and European leaders. There were also some reports that Russia would require Ukraine to give up some of its territory in exchange for ending the violence.
There may not be any tangible agreement on peace in Ukraine but the Alaska meeting has certainly cemented the rapprochement between Russia and the US. Both leaders agreed to continue the peace process. In his comments at the press talk, Putin made no promises, no concessions and no compromises. He appeared to be in full command of the situation.
Before wrapping up his remarks, he referenced one of the American president’s frequent talking points — that the conflict in Ukraine would have never started had Trump been in power then. It seemed the comment was enough to massage Trump’s ego. Putin looked at Trump and said in English: “Next time in Moscow.” Caught by surprise, Trump replied “Oh, that’s an interesting one.”
Days after the Alaska summit Trump hosted a round-table meeting for the Ukrainian president and seven other European leaders at the White House. The major concern of the European leaders is Ukraine’s security. They want security guarantees that oblige members to defend an ally under attack, meaning that Ukraine should be provided with similar protection even without formal Nato membership. They argue that a security agreement should be made a part of any peace deal. Russia has made it very clear that it will not accept any Western security cover for Ukraine that would threaten its own security.
Notwithstanding Trump’s desire to end the Russia-Ukraine war, which he believes will earn him a place in heaven besides winning him a Nobel Peace Prize, there is little hope of his wishes materialising at least in the near future.
The writer is an author and journalist.
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Published in Dawn, August 21st, 2025