The Lawfare Podcast Lawfare Daily: The Alaska Summit and Its Fallout
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Aug 19, 2025 This discussion features Eric Ciaramella, a Carnegie Senior Fellow specializing in foreign policy, along with Anastasiia Lapatina and Mykhailo Soldatenko, experts in Ukrainian affairs and legal issues. They dissect the recent Alaska Summit between Trump and Putin, exploring the implications for U.S.-Russia relations amid the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian War. The conversation highlights the complexities of diplomacy, the role of European leaders in supporting Ukraine, and the challenges of asserting security commitments while navigating international negotiations.
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Alaska Summit Was Largely Performative
- The Alaska summit reflected bluffing rather than a genuine policy shift by the U.S. administration.
- Trump sought a face-to-face meeting to avoid imposing sanctions he did not want to carry out.
Moscow's Small Concession Prompted Talks
- Russian slight softening on ceasefire terms likely motivated talks rather than U.S. resolve.
- Moscow signalled limited flexibility to probe for concessions from Ukraine and the West.
Symbolism Of Alaska Was Overstated
- The Alaska location carried contested symbolic weight but mattered less than substance.
- Visual optics upset Ukrainians but military presence and substance still framed power dynamics.