British PM Keir Starmer warned President Trump ahead of the Trump-Putin summit on 15 August in Alaska: “Never trust Putin”. Trust in global politics is complex and difficult to define. Building a relationship over time, where both sides expect each to deliver, is far more effective than relying on some deferential, instinctive “trust”. International relations, especially negotiations for ceasefires and peace, should not depend solely on trust. Instead, it’s vital to offer incentives to both parties, showing that stopping the fighting benefits everyone. One might remind Keir Starmer of a quote from a former British Prime Minister, Lord Palmerston, who as Foreign Secretary in 1848, facing a Europe convulsed with revolutions, told the Commons that “We have no eternal allies, and we have no perpetual enemies. Our interests are eternal and perpetual, and those interests it is our duty to follow”.

A three-hour meeting between American and Russian representatives ended without any concrete results. Trump set aside his previous threats, as well as his comment about being “very unhappy” if a ceasefire was not agreed. Instead, he described the meeting as “extremely productive,” even as Putin remained resolute on his maximalist demands to end the war and made no concessions on the battlefield, where Russian forces recently breached Ukrainian lines and gained a tactical advantage in southern Donetsk, resulting in further Ukrainian territorial losses. After nearly three hours, the leaders issued a joint statement to the media and departed without answering questions. This clearly shows that Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump still have significant disagreements regarding the war in Ukraine, and this meeting is the start of a longer process to achieve peace.

Although there have been no official announcements, the summit indicates a shift in the United States’ approach towards Russia. For numerous years, Washington regarded Russia as a pariah state, as part of a comprehensive initiative to diminish the threat from its significant military capabilities. For three years, it was asserted that Russia was isolated; however, presently, a splendid red carpet has been laid out for the Russian President in the United States.

The Financial Times commented that the summit marked “an emphatic end to years of western attempts to isolate” Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Russian President temporarily stepped........

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