Press review of the Alaska summit: "Disgusting. Shameful. And ultimately pointless."
After the meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, international media reactions were filled with sharp criticism. The Ukrainian platform Kyiv Independent described the meeting as "disgusting, shameful, and ultimately pointless." While former U.S. President Joe Biden once referred to Putin as a killer, Trump offered him what was seen as a "royal welcome." The talks did not yield any tangible progress towards ending the war in Ukraine.
Reports highlighted the tone of disdain from the Russian side. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov wore a jacket that revealed the letters "CC", which are believed to refer to "CCCP", the abbreviation for the Soviet Union. The Swiss newspaper Neue Zürcher Zeitung reported that this symbolism reflects Putin's long-standing regret over the collapse of the Soviet Union and his desire to revive its influence, a matter he is unlikely to abandon without significant pressure.
The British newspaper Independent pointed out Trump's readiness to accept a potential invitation to Moscow, even admitting that he would "face some criticism" for it. The mutual compliments between Trump and Putin raised concerns for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European allies, especially after Putin reiterated his stance that what he calls the "root causes" of the war must be addressed before achieving peace.
In contrast, the French newspaper Le Monde saw Trump's failure as an opportunity for Ukraine and its European supporters. It noted that they avoided imposing a fait accompli on them or accepting territorial concessions or 'Finlandizing' Ukraine, referring to Finland's situation during the Cold War when it had to consider Soviet interests. The Austrian newspaper Standard took a similar stance, describing the outcome as disappointing but the least harmful under the circumstances. It also criticized Trump for appearing to be easily managed by Putin, considering him a weak defender of Ukraine.
Both Russian and Indian media presented the meeting in a more positive light. The Russian newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda described the meeting as a historic step towards renewing cooperation, reiterating Kremlin claims that the West is responsible for the war. Meanwhile, The Times of India praised Putin for successfully gaining international legitimacy through the meeting on American soil without making concessions, leveraging Trump to convey his positions to European leaders and Zelensky. The newspaper also noted India's concerns about potential U.S. tariffs, but Trump later announced that he would not raise them at this time.