The meeting scheduled between Trump and Putin in Alaska will mirror the meeting between British Prime Minister Chamberlain and Hitler. Appeasement negotiations with an aggressor don’t work. History already gave us this lesson when Great Britain tried it with Hitler.
On 30 September 1938, British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain stepped off the plane after the Munich Conference and read a joint statement with Adolf Hitler: “We… are agreed in recognising that the question of Anglo-German relations is of the first importance for our two countries and for Europe. We are resolved that the method of consultation shall be the method adopted to deal with any other questions… and thus to contribute to assure the peace of Europe.”
In front of 10 Downing Street, Chamberlain then declared: “My good friends, for the second time in our history, a British Prime Minister has returned from Germany bringing peace with honour. I believe it is peace for our time. Go home and get a nice quiet sleep.”
One year later, Hitler started World War II.
The proposed meeting between Trump and Putin on August 15 in Alaska will be history repeating itself. It will be unprecedented in both location and symbolism — Alaska was once a russian asset reflecting their imperial ambition; Putin thrives on historical symbols and has the same notion of imperial ambitions. It will also be condoning the actions of a man who has been condemned by the International Criminal Court with orders for Putin's arrest:
"On 17 March 2023, ICC Pre-Trial Chamber II issued warrants of arrest for two individuals in the context of the situation in Ukraine: Mr Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, President of the Russian Federation, and Ms Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova, Commissioner for Children’s Rights in the Office of the President of the Russian Federation. Based on the Prosecution’s applications of 22 February 2023, Pre-Trial Chamber II considered that there are reasonable grounds to believe that each suspect bears responsibility for the war crime of unlawful deportation of population (children) and that of unlawful transfer of population (children) from occupied areas of Ukraine to the Russian Federation, in prejudice of Ukrainian children."
Of course, the US is one of several countries that do not recognise the International Criminal Court (ICC). Prominent examples include the United States, Russia, China, India, and Israel. So there will be no arrest on US soil.
This meeting in Alaska, above all, will serve the Kremlin’s interests :
- It will shift the focus from Ukraine’s sovereignty to a compromise narrative with the aggressor. Putin’s proposal to stop the war in exchange for Donbas is not peace; it’s a reward for aggression and war crimes.
- It will be presented in russian propaganda as “an equal meeting of great powers,” undermining U.S. resolve. Furthermore, no credible security guarantees are on offer — russia would simply get a pause to prepare for the next stage of aggression. Losing part of the Donetsk region would dismantle the fortified defence lines Ukraine has built since 2014 and open a direct path for russia to strike further west.
And TACO Trump? He has already shown his impotence. He threatened russia with “two more weeks” multiple times and set an August 8 deadline.
Today is August 11. The deadline passed, and nothing happened. No consequences, no action, just empty threats. The ultimatum turned into a bluff, strengthening the Kremlin’s position by proving that threats can be ignored. Instead of delivering on his big ultimatum for Russia to end its war against Ukraine, Donald Trump announced that he would be hosting Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska for a meeting in which he apparently expects Ukraine to give up territory. It is an unconstitutional proposal.
The meeting between Trump and Putin in Alaska will be a repeat of the meeting between Chamberlain and Hitler. Appeasement negotiations with an aggressor don’t work. In 1938, appeasement led directly to World War II. In 2025, it could lead to something far worse.
Europe understands this and stands with President Zelenskyy and Ukraine and against murderous dictator Putin and russia. Europe also understands that there can be no peace talks without Ukraine at the table.
Russian President Vladimir Putin presented the Trump administration this week with a sweeping proposal for a cease-fire in Ukraine, demanding major territorial concessions by Kyiv—and a push for global recognition of its claims—in exchange for a halt to the fighting, according to European and Ukrainian officials. Putin would agree to halt the war in exchange for Eastern Ukraine.
President Trump said Friday he would meet with Putin in Alaska on Aug. 15, following Putin’s proposal. He didn’t provide additional information about the meeting or the exact location. The Kremlin didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
To allow his visit to happen, the US Treasury Department will presumably have to lift sanctions on Vladimir Putin, as it did when his investment envoy Kirill Dmitriev flew to Washington in April. Lifting sanctions on Putin for the Trump meeting is another massive victory for Moscow.
TACO Trump appears to surrender to Putin in advance and replaces his ultimatum with a concession meeting. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will not be present, nor will he agree to any concessions.
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