Western Media Criticize Lack of Results
"Red Carpet Rolled Out, But Nothing Gained"
Western media outlets unleashed a wave of criticism after the Alaska summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, which was aimed at ending the war in Ukraine, concluded without any significant agreement.
US President Donald Trump (right) welcomes Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Elmendorf-Richardson Joint Base in Anchorage, Alaska, on the 15th (local time). Photo by EPA
On August 16 (local time), The Washington Post (WP) reported, "It was a good day for Putin," adding, "He gained the opportunity to show his people that he is being treated as an equal by the most powerful figure in the world (Trump)." President Trump rolled out the red carpet for President Putin at the Elmendorf-Richardson Joint Base in Alaska, the venue for the summit. Putin was greeted with applause as he stepped off his private jet and walked down the carpet, receiving an exceptionally warm welcome. The Kremlin also claimed that when Putin's private jet crossed from Russia into Alaska, it was escorted by US F-22 fighter jets.
WP further pointed out, "With this visit, Putin gained the chance to expand his influence over Trump and delay the possibility of additional sanctions," emphasizing, "Regardless of the outcome of the summit, Putin emerged as the winner." US business daily The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) also criticized the lack of tangible results, stating, "Trump rolled out the red carpet for Putin but gained little in return." According to The New York Times (NYT), Oleksandr Merezhko, chair of the Ukrainian parliament's foreign affairs committee, stressed, "Putin used Trump to show that he is not isolated."
The Times, a British daily, criticized the summit as an "anticlimax," noting that it ended in disappointment without an agreement on a ceasefire in Ukraine or on follow-up talks. The Telegraph, another UK daily, commented, "Putin got exactly what he wanted from Trump," and added, "Having been welcomed by the US president, the Russian leader will feel he has returned to his rightful place on the world stage." This suggests that President Putin, who had become a "global outcast" due to international sanctions following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, managed to restore his national stature at the summit.
The BBC pointed out that Trump damaged his long-standing political asset of being a "dealmaker" during this summit. The BBC analyzed, "Trump, who likes to present himself as a peace broker and negotiator, appears to have left Alaska having achieved neither."
Meanwhile, the US-Russia summit held in Alaska on the 15th failed to produce clear results regarding a ceasefire in the Ukraine war, leading to the cancellation of the planned working luncheon between the two leaders and their delegations. The exact reason for the cancellation was not disclosed. Some speculate that the meeting ended earlier than expected, as the two leaders wrapped up their talks in just over two and a half hours.
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