The meeting between US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin is scheduled for August 15th in Alaska. In anticipation of the summit, Kirill Dmitriev, a senior aide to the Russian president, expressed hopes that the event will "bring hope, peace, and global security".

Although the issue of Ukraine is declared the focus of the meeting, Moscow views the summit as an opportunity to rebuild relations with Washington rather than resolve the conflict. Russian media portrays the meeting as a prelude to a closer relationship between two equal powers.

Sergey Gavrilov, a senior Russian parliamentarian, said the two leaders will discuss many global issues "far more important than the war in Ukraine" in Alaska, including ambitious plans for economic and infrastructure cooperation in the Arctic.

Russian President Putin and US President Trump at a meeting at the G20 summit in Japan in 2019. Photo: Kremlin

Russian President Putin and US President Trump at a meeting at the G20 summit in Japan in 2019. Photo: Kremlin

Since the announcement of the summit, Russian media has circulated stories about US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Mr. Dmitriev sharing fried dumplings at a Moscow restaurant. They also reported on the two officials visiting a site chosen for a "Trump Tower Moscow" hotel.

Beyond the prospects of cooperation and stronger ties, many Russians believe that the mere fact the meeting is taking place on US soil is a victory for Putin. Observers say this helps restore the Russian leader's international standing after more than three years of being shunned by much of the West and even facing an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court.

"He can say 'look, you tried to isolate me, but I'm meeting the US President while you have to beg and plead'," said Sergey Radchenko, a Cold War historian at Johns Hopkins University.

He added that "standing on equal footing with the US" is something Russia has always wanted and is "really important" to Putin.

The passing of the deadline in Trump's ultimatum to Russia without any announced sanctions has worried many European diplomats. They believe this signals that Russia will not face any further serious pressure from the US, regardless of what happens in Ukraine.

Alexander Yakovenko, a former Russian ambassador, wrote in a commentary published by the RIA Novosti news agency that "resolving the war in Ukraine has become a secondary issue in relations between Russia and the US. It's almost like an obstacle to the normalization process that we must overcome together".

"The ideal scenario for Putin is to separate relations with the US from the Ukraine issue, hoping other economic and political matters will interest President Trump more than the Ukrainian conflict," said Abbas Gallyamov, a Russian political analyst and former speechwriter for Putin.

Regarding the war in Ukraine, observers see few signs that Putin intends to make concessions. "To avoid conflict with Trump, Putin might agree to concede on a few minor issues, but he won't end the conflict," Gallyamov said.

Western diplomats and Russian analysts believe the Kremlin leader thinks he is winning on the battlefield and can achieve his goals, especially after Washington limited arms supplies to Kyiv.

Alexandra Prokopenko, a former advisor to the Central Bank of Russia and currently a fellow at the Carnegie Moscow Center, said that doesn't mean Russia would oppose a ceasefire on its own terms.

Some analysts in Moscow point to the possibility of Putin proposing a limited ceasefire in the air, ending missile attacks on Ukrainian cities, while Kyiv stops drone strikes deep into Russian territory. This could benefit Russia by preventing Ukrainian drone attacks on critical energy infrastructure and military-industrial facilities.

President Putin shakes hands with Mr. Witkoff at the Kremlin on August 6th. Photo: Kremlin

President Putin shakes hands with Mr. Witkoff at the Kremlin on August 6th. Photo: Kremlin

Russia's pre-Alaska summit proposal calls for Ukraine to cede the northern part of the Donetsk region, one of 4 areas Moscow claimed to have annexed in late 2022, in exchange for a ceasefire.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky rejected the idea, declaring he will not cede land. European leaders support Ukraine, saying this can only be done on the principle of reciprocity and with security guarantees.

But according to Trump, both Russia and Ukraine will need to make territorial concessions to end the war. "There will be exchanges, there will be changes in land," he said.

The US President added that the meeting with Putin is a "fact-finding mission" to see if peace efforts can progress. He warned of the possibility of the US abandoning its mediating role if it finds "this cannot be resolved".

While many hope for a peace agreement to end the conflict, for many Russians, the expectation seems to be simply "victory".

"We need victory. We must win. A fierce war is going on, and it won't end with the meeting in Alaska," said Vladimir Solovyov, one of Russia's leading television presenters.

Thuy Lam (According to WSJ, Moscow Times, AFP)