Having a wonderful time reminiscing about all my past travel (and other) adventures. Hope you’ll share them with me in my blog, “All Roads Led to Russia.”
After Friday’s fiasco in Anchorage — the so-called “summit” between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin that was supposed to have been a major step toward cessation of the war in Ukraine — it is more obvious than ever that Putin has no intention of ending the slaughter until he has achieved everything on his wish list.
That means that Ukraine — the entire country of some 37 million souls — continues to be held hostage to the whims of a bloodthirsty war criminal. So it is to them that today’s remembrance is dedicated, with hopes and prayers that the continuing efforts of their European and American allies will succeed in bringing the madness to an early end.
And never to be forgotten, here are again are the others for whom the effort continues:
Prisoners of War:
The People of Ukraine The Azov 12
Endangered Exiles:
Mikita Losik Yulia Navalnaya Countless Journalists and Other Dissidents
Ales Bialiatski Andrei Chapiuk Uladzimir Labkovich Ihar Losik Marfa Rabkova Valiantsin Stafanovic Yuras Zyankovich
In Russia:
David Barnes Gordon Black Antonina Favorskaya Konstantin Gabov Robert Gilman Stephen James Hubbard Sergey Karelin Vadim Kobzev Darya Kozyreva Artyom Kriger Michael Travis Leake Aleksei Liptser Grigory Melkonyants Nika Novak Nadezhda Rossinskaya (a.k.a. Nadin Geisler) Igor Sergunin Dmitry Shatresov Robert Shonov Grigory Skvortsov Eugene Spector Laurent Vinatier Robert Romanov Woodland
. . . and the countless others of whom I may not be aware.
The visuals tell the story. The first was the meeting held in the U.S. White House last February among Donald Trump, JD Vance, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky — a man who had been fighting for the survival of his country for three long years — when it devolved into an ambush: a malicious, belittling attack on Zelensky, with no discernible cause or justification:
And this was yesterday’s red-carpet reunion between the same Donald Trump and the world’s #1 pariah — and indicted war criminal — Vladimir Putin, in Anchorage, Alaska:
So much for Donald Trump’s choice of “friends.”
Yesterday’s much-touted summit in Alaska turned out — not unexpectedly — to be a big bag of nothing, insofar as Ukraine was concerned. No ceasefire agreement was reached; no trilateral meeting scheduled; no concessions hinted at by Putin; and no mention made of further sanctions against Russia.
Trump and Putin did, however, hug it out when the discussions turned to the possibility of future U.S.-Russian cooperation in the areas of trade and technology, which was apparently what they both wanted in the first place. Ukraine appeared to have been little more than the excuse for a get-together.
No substantive information was given to the public following the meeting, but bits and pieces are gradually becoming available today. And they’re not offering much hope for an early end to the war.
Previously, Trump had promised that any failure on Putin’s part to agree to a ceasefire would lead to additional, “punishing” sanctions. But that hasn’t happened, and isn’t likely to. Instead, Trump crossed the red line to Putin’s side when he wrote on Truth Social:
“It was determined by all that the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a peace agreement.” As for an interim ceasefire, he said they “often times do not hold up.” [Paul Adams, BBC, August 16, 2025.]
“Now what?”
In a conversation with European leaders following the Alaska meeting, Trump said that Putin wants all of the eastern Ukraine Donbas region in exchange for a freeze of the current front lines. They also discussed potential “NATO-esque” security guarantees for Ukraine, with which Trump seems to have agreed . . . but which Putin will undoubtedly oppose. [Nick Paton Walsh, Frederik Pleitgen, et al., CNN, August 16, 2025.]
And the White House has confirmed a meeting between Trump and Zelensky in the Oval Office on Monday, August 18th, to be attended by at least one other European leader. Trump said that if that meeting goes well, he would then schedule a meeting with Putin. However, in Moscow, Yuri Ushakov — who attended the Alaska summit with Putin — told Russian state media that a second summit was a possibility, but that the idea of trilateral talks to include Zelensky had “not been touched upon.” [Bojan Pancevski, Laurence Norman and Daniel Michaels, The Wall Street Journal, August 16, 2025.]
Further, European officials who spoke with Trump post-summit said that he had told them Putin would not cease fighting during any peace talks, and that “Putin wanted to keep fighting.” And there were mixed signals as to Trump’s position on future security guarantees for Ukraine.
*. *. *
Meanwhile, in Moscow, Vladimir Putin had this to say:
“Russian-American business and investment partnership has huge potential.” [Anne Applebaum, The Atlantic, August 16, 2025.]
Which, again, leaves Putin holding the winning hand.
So, so sorry, Ukraine. But I can’t believe you were surprised.
He didn’t quite award him a medal, but otherwise …
[Note: The following comments are based on my own notes, taken as I watched the proceedings live. Apologies if I’ve missed anything.]
After the warm, brotherly greeting on the tarmac, and three hours spent behind closed doors, Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump emerged before a large press gathering and offered . . .
Nothing. Zip. Zero. Nada. Nichevo.
Just as Putin had scored points simply by being invited to meet in the United States, and receiving a red-carpet welcome complete with everything but a big Russian bear-hug . . . so did he take center stage by speaking first, against diplomatic protocol, to the assembled press corps.
“After you, sir”
Occasionally referring to notes, he launched into a history lesson, reminding the world of the geographical closeness of the Russian east to the Alaskan west; of the cooperation between the two countries that defeated the Nazi regime in World War II; and the unfortunate deterioration of U.S.-Russian relations in recent years.
He recalled former President Biden’s failure to come to an agreement that (allegedly) would have prevented the conflict in Ukraine, and told the audience that Trump had said that, had he been president in 2022, there would have been no war in Ukraine . . . and “I can confirm that.”
And then he talked business: how the U.S. and Russia could cooperate, to their mutual benefit, in areas such as hi-tech and space exploration, etc., etc., blah, blah, blah.
But did he say anything about a ceasefire, or next steps to end the war? He did not. He did, however, refer — for the thousandth time — to the necessity of first dealing with what he calls the “root causes” of the conflict, and the issue of perceived threats to Russia’s security.
There was more talk of his and Trump’s close relationship and mutual understanding, and his belief that Trump sincerely wants peace and recognizes Russia’s security issues. According to Putin, the two have “built a trustworthy contact,” and will be able to end the conflict.
But he never said how.
It sounded as though his closing remarks had been written long before he arrived in Alaska . . . that he never had any intention of negotiating or conceding anything. This was another stall, but much more: it was a public relations triumph, and that was all he ever intended it to be.
After the Meeting
*. *. *
And then it was Trump’s turn. In contrast to Putin’s smiling, lively demeanor, Trump appeared exhausted, depressed, defeated . . . and old. Very, very old.
He managed to spout some word salad about having agreed on “a couple of big ones,” but said there was more to be worked out.
Then — in what was probably the big sound bite of the day — he uttered this gem: “There is no deal until there is a deal.”
He could have stopped there.
But he tried to put a cheerful spin on the situation, saying they had made some great progress; that many points had been agreed upon, but not everything; that he had always had a fantastic relationship with Vladimir; and that, despite some difficult meetings in the past — which he blamed on “the Russia, Russia, Russia deal” — he was sure that they understood each other.
He next tried to acknowledge Putin’s team — most likely Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and foreign policy advisor Yuri Ushkov — but seemed unable to remember their names and ended up gesturing to them instead.
As I said . . . looking very, very old, and very tired.
*. *. *
And then it was over. Trump said to Putin that they would speak again very soon, and also see each other again soon . . . to which Putin replied, in English, “Next time in Moscow.”
Trump seemed a bit startled, and laughingly said he would probably “get some heat for that,” but that he “can see it possibly happening.”
The press, of course, were ready with a barrage of questions; but it was not to be. The speakers hastily left the stage, and according to news reports, Putin headed directly to his plane . . . not even staying for lunch. Smiles or no smiles, that is never a good sign.
So what to make of it all, besides “much ado about nothing”?
Clearly, the winner of yesterday’s round was Vladimir Putin. Trump had said earlier that he would be very unhappy if the day passed without his having achieved at least a ceasefire, and that there would be dire consequences for Russia if that happened.
Well, it did happen. No ceasefire, no mention of a meeting to include Ukrainian President Zelensky . . . and no Nobel Peace Prize. At least, not yet.
There will, of course, be follow-up calls between Trump and Zelensky, as well as with European leaders. I would be surprised if we hear any further details until those calls have been held.
In the meantime, I have one more reason to be happy I am not a member of Trump’s team: I would not want to have been in his path when he let his wrath loose aboard Air Force One.
Amid smiles, handshakes, and an exchange of a few words, Vladimir Putin was greeted by Donald Trump on the tarmac at U.S. Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska.
Their arrival, perfectly orchestrated for Trump to land a few minutes ahead of Putin, was accompanied by a respectful military presence . . . and a massive security force from both sides.
There had also been an announcement from White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt aboard Air Force One before landing that the meeting, originally scheduled to be one-on-one between Putin and Trump alone, had been changed to a three-on-three. Putin would now be accompanied by his very experienced Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, and foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov; and Trump would have the backing of newly-minted Secretary of State Marco Rubio and real estate mogul-cum-foreign policy expert Steve Witkoff.
Yuri Ushakov (L) and Sergey Lavrov
I don’t know what brought about the last-minute change, but I do feel a sense of relief that Putin and Trump won’t be left to their own devices without witnesses.
Still, based solely on their respective years of relevant experience, it’s clear that Trump’s team is conspicuously outclassed.
Steve Witkoff (L) and Marco Rubio
Now I’m holding my breath until the closing press conference, though I don’t anticipate any earthshaking announcements. What I would like to see is at least a temporary ceasefire, and a concrete plan for a further meeting — this time to include Ukrainian President Zelensky, leaders of the allied European nations, and the European Union. We shall see.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (L), Arriving in Alaska (CNN Photo)
It wasn’t the casualness of his attire; that was understandable for such a long trip.
It was the logo — black lettering against a white background — on the sweatshirt:
CCCP
For those too young to recall the “good old days” of the Cold War, those are the Cyrillic letters for:
USSR
Without a word, that shirt told the world what Vladimir Putin is really doing in Alaska today: He is reasserting his country’s position in the world hierarchy . . . not just as the Russian Federation, but as the 21st century’s Union of Soviet Socialist Republics!
And on U.S. soil that once, long ago, belonged to the Russian Empire.
The summit is scheduled to start at 3:30 p.m. EDT (11:30 a.m. local time). But the scene has already been set . . . not by Donald Trump, but by a key member of Putin’s team in a photo op worth 1,000 words.
It’s midnight (EDT) on the big day, and there’s nothing new to report . . . just a lot of anxiety about the outcome of today’s historic meeting between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump on U.S. soil.
The Kremlin’s proposed agenda calls for a one-on-one sit-down between the two leaders with only their interpreters present, followed by a luncheon meeting to include the respective aides from both sides, and concluding with a press conference. I haven’t seen any indication of a scheduled start time; but since it’s four hours earlier in Anchorage than here on the east coast of the “lower 48,” and there won’t be anything to report until the sessions are concluded, there doesn’t seem to be any need for me to set my alarm for an unspeakably early hour (which in my upside-down world is any time before noon).
But once I’m conscious, I’ll be following the updates as they arrive, with fingers crossed for some sort of meaningful progress.
Until then, спокойной ночи . . . “peaceful night.”
When I woke up this morning — actually, it was early afternoon — my first thought was, “Oh, crap! Another day of more of the same.”
But even in my current morose frame of mind, it seems that I can’t turn away from the important news, and especially tomorrow’s summit meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Anchorage, Alaska. (That’s Alaska, U.S.A. — not Russia — in case Trump still doesn’t remember. Let’s hope his pilot knows the difference.)
And I hate leaving anything unfinished, so here I am, tapping away at my keyboard once more to continue the countdown to the summit.
Today’s reports have brought nothing earthshaking. Before leaving Moscow, Putin met with members of his negotiating team, which includes Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (no surprise there), to brief them on “how the negotiation process on the Ukrainian crisis is going.” He is quoted as having said:
“The current American administration … is making, in my opinion, quite energetic and sincere efforts to stop the hostilities, stop the crisis and reach agreements that are of interest to all parties involved in this conflict.” [Christian Edwards, Anna Chernova, CNN, August 14, 2025.]
He also said that an aim of the summit is to “create long-term conditions for peace between our countries, as well as in Europe, and in the world as a whole,” and that such a broader peace would be possible if, in the “next stages” of Russian-U.S. talks, “we reach agreements in the area of control over strategic offensive weapons.” [Id.]
Trump, on the other hand, is still focused on making a “deal.” Taking time for a broadcast on Fox Radio’s Brian Kilmeade Show, he said today:
“I believe now he’s (Putin is] convinced that he’s going to make a deal. He’s going to make a deal. I think he’s going to.” [Id.]
He also spoke about a possible second meeting — what he called “the more important meeting” — to include himself, Putin, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, “and maybe we’ll bring some of the European leaders along, maybe not.” [Id.]
While Putin is focused on “next stages” and “long-term conditions,” Trump said the aim of the talks is “to end the war.” [RFE/RL, August 14, 2025.]
Russian foreign policy aide and former Ambassador to the U.S. Yuri Ushakov added a few more details. He said that Putin and Trump would first have a one-on-one conversation, with interpreters, to be followed by a business lunch to focus on the war in Ukraine, as well as the prospects of cooperation between Russia and the U.S. in trade and economic matters. This would be followed by a joint Putin-Trump press conference.
But Trump wasn’t as clear on the follow-up to his one-on-one meeting with Putin. He said that there would be a press conference, but whether it would be joint or solo was undecided. He also said:
“Depending on what happens with my meeting, I’m going to be calling up President Zelenskyy, and let’s get him over to wherever we’re going to meet. The second meeting is going to be very, very important, because that’s going to be a meeting where they make a deal. And I don’t want to use the word ‘divvy things up,’ but you know, to a certain extent, it’s not a bad term, OK?” [CNN, op.cit.]
*. *. *
It is tricky, at the best of times, to predict what either of these two mercurial, Machiavellian individuals might do or say. But putting them together, mano a mano, in a closed room, in a high-stakes situation that will have a domino effect on the entire world . . . well, any attempt at prognostication would seem foolish at best.
But I said I would be going out on a limb, and so I shall . . . to a limited extent. My take on what was reported today is basically unchanged from what I have been saying all along.
First, Putin’s demands will have remained unchanged. He will reiterate his claim on Ukrainian territory presently occupied by his troops; his insistence on demilitarization of Ukraine and denial of membership in NATO; and possibly an early scheduling of a presidential election in Ukraine.
But based on comments out of Moscow today, I also see him tempting Trump with the kind of deal that would be irresistible to a lifelong dealmaker: the prospect of increased trade relations between Russia and the U.S., and a strategic arms rapprochement that would look awfully good on Trump’s c.v. when it comes before the Nobel Committee.
With those two carrots on the stick being dangled by Putin, will Trump be able to adhere to his promises of being tough on Russia and fair to Ukraine? Or will he define “fair” — as he has already hinted — as a “divvying up” of Ukrainian territory?
Trump may believe he can look into an adversary’s eyes and understand exactly what is going on in their mind. But Vladimir Putin’s eyes give nothing away; they are cold, emotionless, unreadable. And his mind, if possible, is even more devious than Trump’s.
Trump also says that, if he is not satisfied with Putin’s offer tomorrow, he may just “walk away.” But I doubt that will happen; it would be an admission of failure. If anyone were to walk away, it would be Putin — and not in defeat, but placing the onus on Trump for having failed to accept Russia’s peace offering.
*. *. *
So . . . going out on that very shaky limb . . . I predict that Trump will emerge with some sort of a deal to present to Zelensky. But I don’t think it will be what he, or the rest of Europe, wants to hear. Needless to say, I hope I’m wrong.
For those who may have missed the first hundred times I quoted my favorite words of wisdom from the Bard, here they are again:
“Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow, Creeps in this petty pace from day to day To the last syllable of recorded time. And all our yesterdays have lighted fools The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle! Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player That struts and frets his hour upon the stage And then is heard no more: it is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing.”
– William Shakespeare, Macbeth, Act V, Scene 5
And that pretty much sums up how I’ve been feeling recently. The world has turned to shit, and I’m too old to fight. When you’re younger, there are always possibilities, hope for a brighter future, something to work for. My possibilities are behind me; there will be no more great adventures, no travel, no meaningful work. Most of my friends are gone, passed on before me; those that are left are distant, younger, and busy trying to salvage their own lives.
Even my blog has lost its meaning. It’s an effort to write lately, rather than the pleasure it used to be, because the subject matter is all so depressing and debilitating. Yesterday, I had one reader . . . one solitary person who cared what I wrote. It’s not worth the effort if the words just get lost in the void.
So, unless something miraculous happens to rouse me from this lethargy, I’ll turn from writing to reading the works of better — and obviously more successful — writers, watching British TV, and talking to the dog.
You know the old existential question: If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around, does it really make a sound?
By the same token, if a person enters a room and no one acknowledges his/her presence, does he/she really exist?
Or if someone spends hours each day writing and sending their words and innermost thoughts out to the world but no one reads them, were they worth writing . . . ?
For what has to be the most hastily cobbled-together summit conference in history, a precise location was finally chosen yesterday, with just two full days left to finalize all of the preparations that usually take weeks to put into place.
Earlier Summit Meeting – Helsinki, 2018
But this one is unique in several respects, the principal problem being the ICC warrant in effect against Russian President Vladimir Putin for the commission of war crimes in Ukraine, which severely limits his ability to travel outside of Russia without placing himself in jeopardy of being arrested. So the site had to be a country friendly to both the U.S. and Russia. Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban would have welcomed the opportunity to host the meeting; but Putin — to the apparent surprise of American officials — agreed to come to the U.S. Though why they should be surprised, I can’t imagine.
The irony of the meeting being held in Alaska, which was once part of the Russian Empire, may be lost on Trump; but you can bet that Putin is well aware of it. Trump even said, “I thought it was very respectful that the president of Russia is coming to our country as opposed to us going to his country or even a third-party place.” [Kristen Holmes, Kevin Liptak ad David Brooks, CNN, August 12, 2025.]
Respectful, my Aunt Fannie! He’s reveling in the photo op and the boost to his status as Trump’s equal on the world stage. As former national security adviser John Bolton said:
“The only better place for Putin than Alaska would be if the summit were being held in Moscow. So, the initial setup, I think, is a great victory for Putin.” [Id.]
I have to say that I’m in partial disagreement with Mr. Bolton; I think Washington would have been even better . . . except, perhaps, for all of the homeless people, and the troops patrolling the streets.
The Mean Streets of Washington,, D.C. – August 12, 2025
But I digress . . .
In addition to the shortage of time, there have been logistical problems in connection with finding a suitable location for a presidential summit, both in terms of security and appropriate facilities. Alaska is, after all, America’s last frontier, and not known for its extravagant, Trump-style hotels and estates. There is no Mar-a-Lago in the “Land of Enchantment.” (I’ll bet Trump could find some more money to steal from the defense budget to build one, though I wouldn’t want to give him any ideas.)
So they finally settled on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson at Anchorage, which, while not elegant, at least meets the security requirements. And now the rush is on to iron out the minuscule details, such as menus, flowers, and seating arrangements . . . not to mention an actual agenda.
At this point, it appears that the talks will include just the two principals — Putin and Trump — and their respective interpreters, which means that we may never know the whole truth of what takes place in that room. Putin will no doubt have worked out a firm game plan, while Trump appears to be winging it. As Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a radio interview on Tuesday:
“The president feels like, ‘look, I’ve got to look at this guy across the table. I need to see him face to face. I need to hear him one-on-one. I need to make an assessment by looking at him.’” [Id.]
With all due respect . . . No, forget the respect; I’ll just toss it out there:
The Blog About Everything … and Sometimes Nothing 