On 16/8, Fox News released the contents of a "peace letter" written by First Lady Melania Trump and hand-delivered by President Donald Trump to his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, during their summit in Alaska the previous day.
Putin read the letter immediately upon receiving it, in the presence of both the American and Russian delegations.
"Dear President Putin," the letter began, "Every child born carries within their heart silent dreams, regardless of whether they are born in humble countryside or a magnificent city. Children dream of love, of what they can become, and of being safe from harm."
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First Lady Melania Trump at the White House on 8/5. Photo: Reuters |
First Lady Melania Trump at the White House on 8/5. Photo: Reuters
The first lady expressed the need for a world built on respect, where "every soul awakens in peace and the future is perfectly protected."
"Mr. Putin, there's a simple yet profound concept that I'm sure you'll agree with: the children of every generation begin life with a purity, an innocence that transcends geography, government, and ideology," she wrote.
Trump asserted Putin's ability to restore joy and laughter to children. By safeguarding their innocence, she argued, he would serve not only Russia but all of humanity. "Such a bold idea transcends all boundaries, and you, Mr. Putin, are uniquely suited to bring it to life with a single stroke of a pen today. The time is now," she concluded.
President Trump and President Putin met for a three-hour summit on 15/8, followed by an 11-minute joint press conference. This was the first US-Russia summit in over 4 years and their first face-to-face meeting since 2019.
Putin announced that he and Trump had reached common ground and expressed hope that Ukraine and Europe wouldn't hinder the peace process. He proposed a follow-up meeting in Moscow, a suggestion Trump indicated was possible.
Trump described the summit as having made "great progress" but acknowledged no agreements had been finalized. In a post-summit interview, he suggested the Ukraine conflict could end with territorial concessions and security guarantees from the US. He also mentioned a trilateral meeting between himself, Putin, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was being arranged.
However, Yuri Ushakov, Putin's foreign policy advisor, later stated that a trilateral summit hadn't been discussed and he was unaware of when the two presidents might meet again.
Ngoc Anh (Fox News, Reuters, Guardian)
