Trump-Putin Alaska Summit Highlights Shift From Friendship to Frustration

WASHINGTON — Donald Trump’s summit with Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday could reshape both the war in Ukraine and the U.S.-Russia relationship. The two leaders once shared warm words, with Trump praising Putin as “pretty smart” for invading Ukraine. Recently, though, Trump has shown growing frustration and threatened tougher sanctions.

The U.S. president now frames the summit as a “feel-out meeting” to test Putin’s willingness to consider a ceasefire. At the same time, he warns of “very severe consequences” if Russia refuses to end its war.

Putin’s Opportunity to Rebuild Ties

For Putin, the meeting offers a chance to repair ties with Trump and ease Russia’s isolation. He has made it clear that he wants to reset relations now that Trump is back in the White House. The White House insists the summit is not a diplomatic win for Russia, but critics argue it gives Putin an opening without Ukraine’s leader present.

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham expressed confidence in Trump’s approach, saying he expects the president to “meet Putin from a position of strength.”

A Complicated History

Trump’s relationship with Putin has been marked by ups and downs. During the 2016 campaign, Trump publicly invited Russian hackers to find Hillary Clinton’s emails, sparking years of investigations into his ties to Moscow. In 2018, at a Helsinki summit, he appeared to side with Putin over U.S. intelligence agencies on election interference.

Even after leaving office in 2021, Trump praised Putin’s tactics in Ukraine, claiming the invasion would not have happened if he were president. Putin supported that claim, blaming Trump’s 2020 loss for the crisis.

From Trust to Public Pleas

Early in his second term, Trump remained optimistic about working with Putin. But as Russian strikes escalated, he posted an urgent message: “Vladimir, STOP!” By May, he described Putin as “absolutely CRAZY.”

This month, Trump ordered two U.S. nuclear submarines repositioned in response to provocative remarks from former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev. While his tone has softened since announcing the Alaska summit, he has lowered expectations, calling it “a feel-out meeting” that “might be good” or “might be bad.”

What Comes Next

The Alaska summit will test whether Trump and Putin can move from rhetoric to action. With the war in Ukraine grinding on, both leaders face pressure — Trump to show strength without conceding ground, and Putin to break through diplomatic isolation.

SOURCE: AP News