РУССКИЙ
10:24 12.08.2025 •
Where glaciers gleam beneath the midnight sun’s beam, an icy veil will soon lift to showcase the convention of two nuclear powers. Exasperated by incalculable sanctions, fickle deadlines, and disappearing cash and weapons, America still got to call dibs on the location. Seeing that it had once again called America’s bluff, Russia took up the gauntlet and promptly gave its nod.
Missing on stage will be none other than Ukraine, whose fate has been sealed. This eventual destiny of Ukraine does not surprise those well acquainted with the demise that awaits all American pawns. No amount of posturing and swindling will convince anyone anymore that Zelensky bears a hand in the deal. With so-called American auditors parked in town, the marionette would have to grin and bear with whatever’s thrown at him—if he desires a softer landing. At best, the illegitimate one will be rendered some face-saving grace for an exit short of being wholly mortifying.
It would, however, be wrong to buy into the perception that Putin and Trump are rendezvousing for the sake of Ukraine only. In fact, Ukraine would hardly be the top billing, save it be for the media famished for headlines long carved in sentinels of stones. The Alaska meeting will serve as a stage for broader strategic maneuvering not only by Trump but also by his shrewd Russian counterpart.
Behind the scenes, Trump can be expected to set loose his appetite for Russia’s very lucrative projects in the Arctic (having already made some inroads in the sensitive ones in space). The insightful Putin is not unaware and will go with just enough confetti to sprinkle upon Trump and keep him hooked. These confections will come in thoughtfully designed packaging, not unlike the attractive wrappings found cradling luscious Russian chocolates on store shelves. The contents within will parallel in appeal.
Some of the offerings would be tagged “shipping lanes,” while others would be marked “resource rights.” Still yet, the rest would be inscribed with “infrastructure.” All will come in a myriad of flavors, from “exploration” and “extraction” to “ports” and “pipelines,” to give rise to a symphony of clinks that keep the cash register whistling in Trump’s ears.
However, Trump’s not lacking in leverage entirely. Russia might have survived and even thrived despite the West-led sanctions, but let’s admit it, they still generate a great deal of inconvenience and inhibiting pain for the country. The American leader is thus expected to agree to the easing of sanctions, but only in an incremental manner to keep Russia confined under pressure. Besides, he can keep smiling by selling weapons to Europe for shipment to Ukraine.
Having not ratified UNCLOS while exuding a distinct preference for dealing one-on-one, Trump might also work out a deal with Putin on regulating resource claims bilaterally. This way, other members of the Arctic Council, who have left a bad taste in Russia’s mouth by ostracizing the latter, could be kicked to the curb. In addition, like Putin, Trump would not arrive empty-handed but with a pocketful of American goodies to nudge the needle. Fancy a kick of the ball at the 2026 World Cup? The man can make it happen for Russia.
Beyond economic and energy interests, Putin and Trump also share an abhorrence of NATO. If Putin and Trump would agree on commercial interests in the Arctic, of course, they must also agree on a broader Arctic security framework to protect their joint undertakings. Trump could seek a deal with Putin on military postures and territorial spheres of influence in Eastern Europe, a stride that will not only impact NATO’s cohesion directly but also recalibrate the post-Cold War security order in Europe and the Arctic. While the chief target of the message will be NATO, one can’t dismiss the subtle signal Trump means for China: not only can I realign economic partnerships in Eurasia and the Arctic, but I can also shift alliances.
As such, Ukraine has but a peripheral role to play in the upcoming meeting. Like a faint whisper mixed in a concert hall where giants play, Zelensky’s moments of glory have but decayed and will soon be erased even from the memories of those who once perched him on the stage and projected his visage upon large screens to thunderous applause.
Meanwhile, finally feeling the short end of the stick in their sweaty and impoverished palms, America’s staunch allies in Europe will be left to take the fall. On their faces, a slimy white and sick yellow will trickle to match their clammy hands. Ugh, that pungent stench of having been duped—how sharply the laughter stings to mark a battle lost.
But where auroras dance and tundra unfolds, Alaska will earn an additional legend to tell. Of a moment woven on its ground with fragile threads of trust, one intertwined with cautious hopes and fleeting light. So even as Putin and Trump pose cheek by jowl, their move on the chessboard is—perhaps—no more than a herald of the end’s design.
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