Putin sees only two ways out of the war – and neither is favorable to Ukraine
13 August 2025 02:27
Kremlin advisor Dmitry Suslov said that Russian President Vladimir Putin is offering US President Donald Trump a “convenient way out” of the current international situation and the war in Ukraine. In an interview with Corriere della Sera, he outlined two possible scenarios that could be discussed at the upcoming summit in Alaska, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports
The first option: a deal between Moscow and Washington without Kyiv
According to Suslov, the Kremlin considers it fundamental that the ceasefire agreement be exclusively bilateral – between the United States and Russia, without the participation of Ukraine or European countries.
The plan provides for
- withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the areas of Donbas that are still under Kyiv’s control;
- withdrawal of Russian troops from Sumy, Dnipro and Kharkiv regions;
- maintaining the current front line in other areas;
- ukraine’s official refusal to join NATO.
It is noted that earlier Moscow insisted on the complete withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from all four occupied regions. However, now the demands have narrowed to Donbas.
“Refusal of membership in the Alliance is a prerequisite for any truce,” Suslov emphasized.
He added that the final agreement should provide for the demilitarization of Ukraine and constitutional reform with a transition to a federal model.
Second option: Trump’s tough steps against Kyiv
If Ukraine and its European partners reject this proposal, Suslov predicts that Trump may completely cut off military aid to Kyiv and even ban arms sales to EU countries so that they cannot transfer them to Ukraine.
“This will accelerate the defeat of Ukraine and its complete collapse,” he said.
Why this could be beneficial for Trump
Suslov explained that the US president found himself in a difficult situation when he called on China, India, and Brazil to stop importing Russian oil, threatening secondary sanctions. The likely refusal of these countries could put Washington in a choice: either to make concessions, which would look like weakness, or to enter into a large-scale economic conflict with the key BRICS countries.
“If the summit in Alaska is successful, with the approval of a joint truce plan, the threat of conflict with China, India, and Brazil can be removed. Trump will even be able to present this as his historic achievement. This is a real “way out” for him,” the advisor summarized.
Why Alaska?
Suslov emphasized that the location of the meeting was not chosen by chance. Firstly, Alaska symbolizes the bilateral format of negotiations – it is as far away from Europe and Ukraine as possible, but close to Russia. Secondly, it will be the first full-fledged US-Russian summit in the United States in the last 15 years. Third, the agenda will include the Arctic, a region of both potential conflict and promising economic cooperation, in addition to Ukraine.
What is known about the meeting between Putin and Trump
The meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin is scheduled for August 15, 2025, and will take place in the US northwestern state of Alaska.
The exact city of the summit has not yet been officially confirmed, but it is likely to be the state’s largest city, Anchorage, or the capital, Juneau. At the same time, the NYT writes that the US Secret Service has booked a six-room house in Anchorage, where Trump and Putin are likely to meet.
Diplomatic consultations between Ukraine and the United States on the eve of the summit are virtually around the clock. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said that Ukraine and Russia would have to exchange some territories after Kyiv receives security guarantees.
Later, it became known that European leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy would have a phone conversation with Trump before his meeting with Russian dictator Putin.
This meeting will be Putin’s first face-to-face meeting with the US president since 2021, when he met with Joe Biden in Geneva, Switzerland.
Donald Trump, as the leader of the White House, and Vladimir Putin last held face-to-face talks in 2018 in Helsinki, Finland, and in 2019 they met at the G20 summit in Japan, but in the format of delegations.
Already in his second term, since the beginning of 2025, Trump has spoken to Putin at least three times by phone.
