Episode 487: Cold Front Diplomacy: Trump, Putin, and the Ukraine Question

Today, Martha and Joshua discuss the upcoming August 15 meeting between Presidents Trump and Putin in Alaska, following Trump’s threat to “end the war or face sanctions.” With Ukraine unable to retake Russian-held territory and U.S. attention focused on the Indo-Pacific, speculation grows over whether Kyiv will be pressured to concede land. European partners signal readiness to support a deal, but details remain unclear. 

Will this be a breakthrough for diplomacy or another case of Putin playing a U.S. president? How will Congress and European allies react to any agreement that is made? Could enforcing existing sanctions against Russia be more effective than imposing new ones? And what message does holding this meeting in Alaska send to both Russians and Americans?

Check out the sources that helped shape our Fellows’ discussions: 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/08/10/putin-trump-russia-ukraine-summit/ 

https://www.cnn.com/2025/08/09/politics/white-house-zelensky-trump-putin-meeting 

https://thehill.com/policy/international/5445054-european-leaders-putin-russia-ukraine-trump-talks/ 

https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-trump-deadline-putin-423e6a28df5186a48b7383eae41c11c2 

Follow our experts on Twitter: 

@marthamillerdc

@joshuachuminski

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