Did Putin and Trump’s Direct Talks in Alaska Signal a Symbolic Victory for Russia?

Before returning to the Oval Office in January, US President Trump promised several times that he would ‘achieve a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine within 24 hours.’ However, as the war escalated, peace seemed more and more elusive, with him recently claiming that the promise was just sarcasm. Following this, does Russia really need a hundred years to control Ukraine? Zelensky accuses Putin of preparing for a ‘new offensive’ in Ukraine, rather than a ceasefire. It’s been 1265 days since the Russia-Ukraine war began, with key events summarized, and the EU holds talks worrying that a Trump-Putin meeting will marginalize Ukraine.