All Eyes on Alaska: Can Trump Broker a Peace That Lasts?

With a U.S.-Russia summit now officially on the calendar for next Friday, all eyes are turning to Alaska to see if President Donald Trump can broker a peace for Ukraine that actually lasts. The August 15 meeting with Vladimir Putin is being framed by Trump as a historic opportunity to end the nearly four-year conflict.
Trump’s strategy relies on direct, top-level negotiation. He has expressed confidence that a deal is within grasp, but the potential terms he has floated—specifically a “swapping of territories”—have already proven divisive and controversial, raising questions about the durability of any agreement reached.
The challenges are immense. On one hand, there is immense international pressure on Russia, including a newly lowered oil price cap, to force a settlement. On the other hand, there is fierce resistance on the Ukrainian front line, where soldiers are skeptical of talks and believe victory is the only path to a secure peace.
Analysts at the Institute for the Study of War have also cautioned that Putin may not be negotiating in good faith, suggesting he is trying to play for time and extract concessions. The question for the world is whether the deal forged in Alaska will be a genuine resolution or merely a pause in a longer conflict.