This Friday’s high-stakes meeting between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska could bring real relief to Ukraine – but only if it stays laser-focused on one goal: an enforceable ceasefire. No redraw of the map. No "land for peace" concessions that reward Moscow’s aggression and punish Ukrainian sovereignty.

A United Front
Over the weekend, Vice President JD Vance convened a secure call with European and Ukrainian officials. The message from allied capitals was blunt: halt the fighting first, then negotiate the rest – without giving up an inch of Ukrainian land. European leaders have repeated it publicly: "Peace cannot be decided without Ukraine".

Why Now Matters
On the ground, the war’s toll is rising. Russia is pushing hard in Donetsk and Luhansk, pounding civilian infrastructure and displacing thousands. Ukrainian officials report hundreds of daily clashes, rising casualties, and failing power and water systems. A ceasefire won’t end the war, but it would stop the bloodshed and open humanitarian corridors.

Putin Under Pressure
Putin’s motives are mixed. He wants the optics of meeting a U.S. president on neutral ground. He wants to test Trump’s red lines. But his economy is straining, his elites are restless and ordinary Russians are tired of a costly war. The looming U.S. secondary sanctions on Russian oil exporters, shipping insurers and tankers – if enforced with Europe – could fracture his revenue lifeline.

TRUMP MEETS PUTIN AMID AN ERA DONE AWAY WITH JOHN QUINCY ADAMS' 'ABROAD'

The Risk – and the Fix
Critics warn a ceasefire could give Russia breathing space to rearm. They’re right – if it’s toothless. Strict enforcement is needed: deploy OSCE monitors within 48 hours, use satellite imagery and signals intelligence to track violations, and implement automatic snap-back sanctions for breaches. Compliance should be visible and indisputable.

Why Alaska?
The venue is not an accident. Alaska is remote, symbolic and equally inconvenient – a neutral stage that avoids home-field advantage for either leader. Its history as U.S. territory purchased from Russia adds a certain symmetry.

The Day After the Ceasefire
Any truce must lead somewhere. The next step is a credible security framework for Ukraine – NATO membership or a coalition defense pact – paired with reconstruction aid. The "Coalition of the Willing" led by Britain and France is already planning a peacekeeping presence to enforce any ceasefire.

The Human Factor
This is not just geopolitics – it’s human lives. Families sheltering underground. Children uprooted from schools. Veterans maimed for life. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy put it bluntly: "Concessions do not convince a killer".

Will Putin Come?
Yes. He wants the spotlight, the appearance of parity and relief from mounting sanctions. But he will try to reopen territorial talks in the future. That’s why the United States must keep the agenda tight, enforcement credible and Ukraine fully represented in any next phase.

America’s Playbook for Alaska

Bottom Line
The Alaska summit should be remembered as the day the guns fell silent – not as the day Western resolve crumbled. A ceasefire-first approach, backed by enforcement and leverage, is not weakness. It’s principled, America-first diplomacy. And it’s the only way to stop the killing without surrendering the map.