Trump-Putin talks send Russian media wild but Kyiv is downbeat

Russian media shops had been in excessive spirits on Friday as Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin headed to satisfy U.S. President Donald Trump for an Alaskan summit extensively introduced as a win for Moscow, its economic system and world standing.

Articles and commentary had been splashed throughout Russian state information websites on Friday reveling within the world consideration that Putin’s historic journey to the U.S. was garnering, with constructive takes on what the high-stakes talks — centered on ending the battle in Ukraine — may imply for Russia, which has been remoted and economically punished by the West since invading Ukraine in 2022.

“Russia-U.S. summit will be an attempt to reset relations,” state news outlet TASS headlined, with accompanying tales echoing constructive sentiment across the one-to-one talks: “The whole world is waiting for the meeting between Putin and Trump” and “Russia and the U.S. have potential to renew partnership in the Arctic,” commentators said, based on Google translations.

The temper in Ukraine was positively dour, in the meantime, with information shops reflecting fears that Kyiv may very well be offered out in the course of the talks with Putin, a veteran statesman who is seen as likely to pursue as many concessions as he can from Trump in return for a ceasefire.

State news outlet RIA Novosti reveled within the absence of Ukrainian and European officers from what it described as “historic” talks.

Ria Novosti’s columnist Kirill Strelnikov stated latest Russian territorial good points in Ukraine confirmed the country’s forces were already “negotiating” long before Friday’s talks, noting “the main negotiator, who silently and tiredly laid out the killer arguments on the table, was the Russian army.”

Russia’s media panorama is closely managed by the state, with little pushback towards the Kremlin’s messaging and insurance policies. Throughout the battle, state-run media have aggrandized Russian wins on the battlefield, whereas downplaying or ignoring information on the contrary. Commentary seen to denigrate or harm Russia’s battle effort can land authors in jail.

In Ukraine, information shops are decrying what they — and the Kyiv management — see because the rehabilitation of Putin. “From ‘war criminal’ to U.S. guest — Trump invites Putin out of isolation,” the entrance web page of the Kyiv Independent’s on-line information website.

The International Criminal Court in 2023 issued an arrest warrant for Putin over alleged battle crimes, particularly, the “unlawful deportation” of kids from occupied areas of Ukraine to Russia. The Kremlin denies any wrongdoing. The U.S.

The U.S. is not a signatory to the Rome Statute that established the ICC and due to this fact has no obligation to arrest Putin when he steps on American soil.

Another Kyiv Independent story mirrored low morale amongst Ukrainian troops, who worry Trump may capitulate to Putin by providing up Russian-occupied territory as a part of a coveted ceasefire deal, after beforehand boasting he may finish the battle in Ukraine shortly into his second mandate.

Securing this peace has proved far tougher than Trump anticipated, nonetheless. He has to this point refused to drag the set off on additional sanctions on Moscow, regardless of threatening to take action if the Kremlin didn’t conform to a ceasefire.

The lede story on the Kyiv Post, headlined “Trump Holds ‘Enormous Leverage’ Over Putin – Will He Use It?” mirrored issues that, whereas Trump holds some playing cards that would persuade Russia to enter a peace deal, he, finally, will not be ready to behave.

Similarly to Russian counterparts, Ukrainian media shops have championed the nation’s armed forces and battle efforts. There is nonetheless higher media freedom in Ukraine — a prerequisite for Kyiv’s aspirations to EU membership.

The Trump-Putin talks are anticipated to kick off at 3.30 p.m. ET, with the presidents set to later maintain a joint press convention to summarize their discussions.

That presser will likely be one of the vital carefully watched occasions of this yr, revealing the presidents’ takes on the talks and what pledges (or lack thereof) might need been made with the intention to attain a ceasefire.

“The president wants to exhaust all options to try to bring this war to a peaceful resolution,” the White House stated on the eve of the Alaska summit.

But Ukraine and its European allies worry these “options” may be unhealthy for Kyiv’s territorial integrity, with Trump already mooting the concept of land “swapping” as a part of a ceasefire, and wider European safety.