If one were to sum up the extent to which Putin played Trump at their meeting in Alaska yesterday (15 Aug 2025) one need to look no further than Laura Gozzi (left), who wrote that,
"The fact that the Alaska summit happened at all was a victory for Putin. But this welcome would have surpassed the Kremlin's wildest dreams. In a short six months Putin went from being a pariah in the eyes of the West to being welcomed on US soil like a partner and friend." (BBC News: 16 August 2025) (my emphasis)
Laura Gozzi goes on to report that,
"Yet it was only minutes after landing in Alaska that one journalist shouted in his direction: "Will you stop killing civilians?" If the question bothered him, he [Putin] didn't show it, appearing instead to shrug and diverting his gaze." (BBC News: 16 August 2025) (my emphasis)
"What was clear was that there was no immediate ceasefire or peace deal to end the Ukraine war out of Friday's Anchorage, Alaska talks at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson." (Daily Mail: 16 August 2025) (my emphasis)
Furthermore,
"Putin's comments were mostly backward-looking, a glaring indication that the U.S. and Russia remained apart on the crucial issues that could lead to a ceasefire in Ukraine.
The Russian leader didn't back down on his claims that the Ukrainian invasion was justified." (ibid Nikki Schwab)
In other words, Putin did not back down from his demented mindset about his Novorossiya dreams, nor about re-creating the old USSR.
"In what's seen as a not-so-subtle act of trolling, the Russian Foreign Minister was seen wearing a sweatshirt emblazoned with “CCCP”, the Russian initials for the USSR.
Seventy-five-year-old Lavrov's attire is being seen as a nod to Kremalin's imperial ambitions, forwarding Putin's long-running narrative: Russians and Ukrainians are “one people” -- a claim that denies Ukraine's legitimacy and territorial integrity while promoting a broader notion of unity with Russia." (Sanstuti Nath : NDTV World: 16 August 2025) (my emphasis)
Thus, as James Matthews (right) of Sky News reports, 
"Putin's statement about the fundamental causes - to make this settlement lasting and long term, we need to eliminate the primary cause to consider all legitimate concerns of Russia. That's been Russia's starting point and it's been the sticking point throughout this whole process." (Sky News on MSN: 15 August 2025) (my emphasis)
He further reports that,
"For Putin to stand on that stage alongside Trump and have the confidence to articulate that tells me that that resonates with Trump, and Putin is welded to that as an ongoing position - a position which is unacceptable to Ukraine." (ibid James Matthews)
In other words, "Putin played Trump!" on the world stage.
And to intimidate European leaders, we learn from India Today that,
"Russia is preparing to test its new nuclear-capable, nuclear-powered cruise missile and if successful, plans to use the results to bolster its negotiating position with the West, Ukrainian military intelligence said on Friday." (India Today: 16 August 2025) (my emphasis)
Furthermore,
"The White House did not comment directly on whether a test was being prepared, saying in response to a question about it that Trump wanted peace in Ukraine" (ibid India Today)
Putin is preparing to start another war in Europe.
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