WSJ: Strategic threats to Ukraine may be hidden behind the truce with Putin

Anxiety is growing in political circles in the United States, European countries, and among Kyiv’s allies ahead of the planned summit between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, which is scheduled to take place on August 15 in Alaska.

As The Wall Street Journal reports , it is not only about the future of Ukraine, but also about the stability of the North Atlantic Alliance and the strategic interests of the United States itself.

Analysts say presidential talks can be useful, but without clear agreements, they often become a source of risk. Of particular concern was Trump’s failure to respond decisively to Russia’s August 8 ultimatum, sending his special envoy, Steve Witkoff, to Moscow instead of sanctions or diplomatic pressure.

The media is already circulating information about a possible discussion of agreements between the Russian Federation and the United States that could affect the territorial integrity of Ukraine. According to one version, Russia has proposed a cessation of hostilities in exchange for control over the entire Donetsk region, including the territories that currently remain under Ukrainian control. In response, Kiev could supposedly return part of the occupied lands. President Zelensky sharply rejected this prospect, calling any guarantees from Putin unreliable.

A serious signal for the Ukrainian side was that the meeting between Putin and Trump is planned without the involvement of official Kyiv. WSJ emphasizes that it is difficult to imagine a legitimate achievement of peace without the participation of the Ukrainian leader. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte also noted that Trump probably seeks to personally “check the Kremlin’s intentions”, while coordinating military support for Ukraine.

Observers are sure that the Kremlin is not interested in preserving Ukraine’s sovereignty. According to WSJ experts, Moscow may agree to a short ceasefire, which is tactically advantageous for it, but it has no intention of giving up its imperial ambitions. Real peace, according to journalists, is possible only when hostilities begin to threaten Putin’s own political survival.

To achieve such pressure, the West must intensify sanctions pressure and provide Ukraine with everything it needs for defense, the publication emphasizes. Despite Trump’s loud statements, he has not yet imposed sanctions against China and has not agreed with the European Union on the use of $300 billion in frozen Russian assets.

In conclusion, The Wall Street Journal points out: Trump seeks to create the image of a peacemaker, but a real settlement is possible only if Ukraine is able to independently determine its geopolitical course, and the future agreement will make it impossible for Russia to repeat aggression.

It should be noted that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that during the planned meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Alaska, no decisions regarding Ukraine will be made without its direct participation. He emphasized that the format of “nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine” remains Kyiv’s principled position, and key issues of peace will be resolved only in a trilateral format.

As a reminder, European leaders issued a joint statement in support of Ukraine ahead of Donald Trump’s planned meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin . 26 out of 27 EU leaders — with the exception of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban — made their position public.

As reported, Trump said that on Friday, August 15, he will travel to Russia, where he plans to meet with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin.

Earlier, European politicians and the Ukrainian leadership sharply commented on the planned meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Alaska on August 15. They emphasized that the future of Ukraine and the security of Europe cannot be decided without the direct participation of Kyiv and Brussels.

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