The President’s Inbox The Trump-Putin Summit, With Michael Kimmage
Aug 19, 2025
Michael Kimmage, a history professor and former U.S. State Department policy planner, delves into the complexities of the Trump-Putin summit. He analyzes the ambiguous agreements made between the two leaders and their implications for Ukraine. Kimmage critiques narratives around the war, exposing misconceptions about Russian strength. He discusses the shifting dynamics of U.S. foreign policy, the need for cohesive transatlantic unity, and the troubling implications of proposed territorial land swaps, emphasizing their impact on Ukraine's sovereignty.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Summit Lacked Clear Agreements
- The Alaska summit produced no clear agreements and shifted the diplomatic framing away from pressuring Russia.
- Michael Kimmage argues this reframing weakened Ukraine's negotiating position and empowered Russian narratives.
Hosting Putin Was Symbolically Costly
- Hosting Putin on US soil legitimized him internationally and risked driving a wedge between the US and European allies.
- Kimmage stresses the narrative shift made Putin appear stronger despite Russia's battlefield struggles.
Russia Lost The Political War
- Wars have military and political dimensions; Russia has lost the political war by radicalizing Ukrainian resistance.
- Kimmage says brutal occupation makes Ukrainian concession to Russia politically impossible long term.
