The scene was pure political theater—a red carpet rolled out over the tarmac of an Alaskan airbase, the roar of B-2 bombers overhead, and Donald J. Trump, arms outstretched, welcoming Vladimir Putin like an old friend arriving for a golf weekend.
It was August 15, 2025, and the stage was set for what Trump had promised would be his crowning diplomatic achievement: ending the bloodiest war in Europe since 1945 with a single handshake.
Instead, what unfolded was a masterclass in hollow spectacle—a summit that delivered nothing but empty platitudes, a bolstered Russian dictator, and yet another broken Trump promise.
The Grand Illusion
Trump, who once bragged he could end the Ukraine war “in 24 hours,” walked away with no ceasefire, no concessions, and no tangible progress—just a vague assurance that he and Putin had agreed on “many points” (though he refused to name a single one).
The Russian dictator, meanwhile, left Alaska with something far more valuable: legitimacy.
For Putin—a man wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes—the images of him grinning beside Trump, riding in “The Beast,” and being treated as an equal by the U.S. president were pure propaganda gold.
State TV back in Moscow wasted no time spinning it as proof that the West was finally bending to the Kremlin’s will .
All America got was a regurgitation of Putin’s favorite talking points. The Russian leader used the joint press conference to lecture the world on the “root causes” of the war—a thinly veiled demand that Ukraine surrender its sovereignty, abandon NATO aspirations, and accept permanent Russian domination.
Trump, ever the deferential host, stood silently by, nodding along as if this were just another round of tough-but-fair negotiation—not the scripted monologue of a man who has spent years shelling maternity wards and kidnapping Ukrainian children.
The Lies Pile Up
Trump’s performance was riddled with the same blatant falsehoods that have defined his political career.
He claimed the meeting was a “10 out of 10,” despite admitting no deal had been reached. Spell that zero Z E R O.
He insisted Putin “wants to make a deal,” ignoring the fact that the Russian dictator has spent the past three years rejecting every ceasefire offer that didn’t involve Ukraine’s total capitulation.
Most grotesquely, Trump—who once absurdly insinuated that Zelensky started the war—now had the gall to tell the Ukrainian president to “make a deal,” as if the victim of a genocidal invasion should simply shake hands with his butcher.
Even Trump’s threats of “severe consequences” for Russia evaporated the moment Putin flashed his trademark smirk. Just days before the summit, the president had warned of crushing tariffs if Moscow didn’t agree to peace.
By the time Air Force One left Alaska, those threats had been shelved. “We don’t have to think about that now,” Trump shrugged to Sean Hannity, as if the lives of millions were just another reality TV cliffhanger.
The Real Winners and Losers
Putin didn’t just win the optics—he bought time. With Trump dithering, Russian forces continue their slow, grinding advance in eastern Ukraine, where every day of delay means more territory seized, more cities reduced to rubble, and more Ukrainian soldiers bled dry.
Meanwhile, Trump’s MAGA base—once promised an America First withdrawal from foreign quagmires—watched in dismay as their leader sold weapons to NATO and lectured Zelensky about surrender.
As for Ukraine?
They weren’t even invited to the table.
Zelensky, who has spent years begging for the weapons to defend his people, was reduced to posting a pleading video on Telegram, hoping Trump might still remember his existence.
“We are counting on America,” he said, with the weary tone of a man who knows he’s been abandoned.
The Bottom Line
Trump’s Alaska summit wasn’t diplomacy—it was capitulation disguised as deal-making. He gave Putin the photo ops he craved, the legitimacy he needed, and the breathing room to keep waging his war. And in return? Nothing. No ceasefire. No justice. No peace. Just another empty promise from a president who has built his career on them.
The only thing more dangerous than Trump’s incompetence is his unshakable belief in his own genius. He still thinks he can charm Putin into submission. He still thinks Ukraine should “make a deal” with its executioner. And worst of all, he still thinks the American people are dumb enough to buy it.
They’re not. But by the time they realize it, Ukraine may already be gone.
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