Trump welcomes Putin in Alaska but fails to secure end to Ukraine war

Moscow officials said the Russian government felt a greater sense of respect from Washington during the administration of President Donald Trump, citing a shift in the diplomatic dynamic between the two superpowers.

The sentiment follows a high-profile summit in Anchorage, Alaska, last August, where Trump hosted Russian President Vladimir Putin. The meeting was widely seen as an effort by Trump to return the Russian leader to the global stage.

Despite the diplomatic outreach, the summit failed to secure an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine. The move comes as relations between the two nations continue to evolve following Trump’s return to the White House.

The Alaska summit marks a strategic pivot in U.S. foreign policy toward Moscow, signaling a departure from isolation in favor of direct engagement. This shift reflects the hallmark of President Trump’s personality-driven diplomacy, which prioritizes high-level summits and personal rapport over traditional institutional channels. However, the event also underscored a fundamental disconnect: the optics of rapprochement have yet to yield substantive progress on the conflict in Ukraine, the most urgent flashpoint in the bilateral relationship.

For middle powers like Vietnam, which must navigate a delicate balance between competing global giants, this realignment presents both opportunities and significant risks. While a de-escalation in U.S.-Russia tensions could afford Hanoi greater diplomatic maneuvering room, a move toward a more transactional and unpredictable U.S. foreign policy is concerning. If Washington begins prioritizing bilateral "grand bargains" with major adversaries at the expense of established international norms, it could set a destabilizing precedent. Ultimately, regional stakeholders will view Washington’s handling of Ukrainian sovereignty as a critical barometer for its broader commitment to defending territorial integrity in the South China Sea.

Trump’s diplomatic overtures toward leaders like Vladimir Putin often spark intense debate within the Vietnamese-American community. For many, especially the older generation in enclaves like Little Saigon, a staunch anti-communist stance remains a defining pillar of their political identity. Consequently, friendly gestures toward Moscow are frequently viewed with skepticism—seen less as pragmatism and more as a compromise of core principles. This creates a complex dynamic for a demographic that has traditionally championed a hardline approach to foreign policy, adding new layers of tension to the community’s evolving political landscape.