The clock is now ticking on the first one-on-one meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin on the war in Ukraine with Sky News calling the choice of Alaska for the August 15 date “unexpected” and explaining why it is considered a “first win” for the Russian president.

As the British media reports, “although Alaska is geographically close to Russia – less than 3 miles away at the narrowest point – it is far from neutral territory” recalling that initial estimates had called for a meeting “somewhere in the middle. Perhaps in Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates. But no, Vladimir Putin will travel to Donald Trump’s “backyard” for his first visit to the US since September 2015, when he addressed the UN General Assembly while Barack Obama was a tenant in the White House.”

After Sky News correspondent in Moscow reminds us that “the US is not a member of the International Criminal Court, so there is no risk of arrest for Vladimir Putin” then notes that “to allow his visit, the US Treasury Department would likely have to lift sanctions against the Russian president, as it did when his investment envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, traveled to Washington in April.”

“And I think that suggests one of the reasons why Putin would agree to a summit in Alaska. Instead of imposing sanctions on Russia, as Trump has threatened in recent days, the US would lift one. Even if it is temporary, it will be highly symbolic and a huge victory for Moscow.”
Ivor Bennett writes.

In the British journalist’s “reading”, “the US president may believe he has the upper hand – the peacemaking president ordering an aggressive invader to travel home – but the picture is more than favourable to Putin as the Alaska meeting would mark the definitive end to his international isolation following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

And in the shadow of information such as that published by the Wall Street Journal about the contents of a possible US-Russia deal on Ukraine, the Sky News correspondent notes that “either way, Putin will get what he wants: The chance to dismember his neighbor without involving Kiev in the negotiations. And that is another reason why Putin would agree to a summit, regardless of where it is held. Because it represents a real chance of achieving his goals.”

“In recent months, despite increasing US pressure, Moscow has shown no intention of stopping the war until its demands are met. Perhaps Vladimir Putin believes a summit with Donald Trump offers the best chance to secure them,” concludes the Sky News analysis.