Trump and Putin just met in Alaska.
All show, no deal, and the talks ended without a Ukraine ceasefire or deal.
But the real impact of this failed summit stretches far beyond Anchorage.
Here’s what it really means for the world: 🧵
The summit was hastily arranged, with little groundwork.
Normally, high-stakes diplomacy comes after months of preparation.
This one looked more like theatre than negotiation.
And in geopolitics, theatre has consequences.
Trump rolled out the red carpet. He clapped and shook Putin’s hand twice.
They even rode together in the US Presidential limo “The Beast.”
For Putin, isolated since 2022, this was already a victory.
They were being welcomed on equal footing with the US president.
The optics matter.
Western leaders have spent years trying to turn Putin into a pariah.
In one afternoon, Trump flipped that narrative on its head.
The Kremlin will now project these images endlessly: Putin, respected, back on the world stage.
What did Trump want? A ceasefire.
Before leaving Washington, he told reporters he wouldn’t be happy without one.
But after nearly three hours of talks, all he could say was: “There’s no deal until there’s a deal”
Just a few words to soften Trump’s failure at the summit.
Putin, meanwhile, stuck to familiar talking points.
He spoke of “root causes” that needed to be removed for lasting peace - Kremlin code for dismantling Ukraine as an independent state.
There was no change or concessions. Just some sharp digs veiled as flattery.
Zelensky warned: “Lasting peace is needed, but it must include Kyiv.”
Instead, its future was discussed without Ukraine present. A repeat of past flawed peace processes.
For Ukrainians, there was some relief: no sudden deal trading away territory.
Ex-NATO ambassador Douglas Lute didn’t mince words:
“Putin comes away with the end of his isolation.
What did Trump get? Zero.
We may even be further from peace in Ukraine than we were at the start of the day.”
That is the paradox of this summit, and Putin just cashed in.
Trump left Alaska and went straight into a Fox News interview.
Instead of announcing peace, he was left spinning “progress” - without specifics.
3.5+ years of pressure haven’t changed Putin’s mind. Why would a few hours in Alaska?
The danger now is vague promises invite Russia to keep escalating.
The big picture:
– Putin gets global visibility.
– Ukraine feels sidelined.
– Trump’s image as a dealmaker weakens.
– The war drags on with no ceasefire.
This dialogue produced heavy symbolism, not substance.
The Alaska summit is a reminder:
Diplomacy without substance emboldens aggressors.
Symbolism can reshape global perceptions.
And each failed attempt delays the pursuit of real peace - at the cost of millions of lives.
The world still waits.
@threadreaderapp unroll
Share this Scrolly Tale with your friends.
A Scrolly Tale is a new way to read Twitter threads with a more visually immersive experience.
Discover more beautiful Scrolly Tales like this.