Foreign Policy Brief #217 | Yelena Korshunov | September 17, 2025
On August 15, after his meeting with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump said it had been “a great and very successful day in Alaska.” In phone calls with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, European leaders, and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, Trump added that his talks with Putin had gone “very well.” He later wrote: “It was determined by all that the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a peace agreement, which would end the war, and not a mere ceasefire agreement, which oftentimes does not hold up.”
On that day, many held their breath, waiting for a real step toward ending the war, stopping the fighting, and perhaps even achieving the long-awaited peace. For many around the world, the American president remains a powerful figure capable of influencing global affairs. However, events unfolded in the opposite direction. After August 15, Ukraine came under massive drone attacks, and on the night of August 18 into the morning of August 19, Russia launched a major and intensive assault while Trump met in Washington with Zelensky and a delegation of European leaders
On the night of September 7, the Russian Armed Forces launched the largest attack on Ukraine since the start of the full-scale war. More than 800 drones and nearly a dozen missiles took part in the assault. According to Ukrainian authorities, as of the morning of September 8, five people were killed in the attack, including a baby, and more than 40 were injured. Residential buildings and a government office in Kyiv were damaged—the capital coming under such intensive fire for the first time since the war began.
On the night of September 10, as Russia launched a massive drone attack on western Ukraine, Poland shot down several Russian drones over its territory for the first time. The Polish military described the incident as an ‘act of aggression,’ and Prime Minister Donald Tusk convened an emergency government meeting. This marked the first use of NATO aircraft to destroy drones over the territory of an alliance member state since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began.
Ending the Russia-Ukraine war within one day was one of Donald Trump’s central campaign promises. Since mid-February, his administration has been holding separate talks with Moscow and Kyiv to end the conflict, but little progress has been made. Trump remains convinced that a trilateral meeting between the U.S., Russia, and Ukraine will take place. However, he admits he is unsure whether Putin and Zelensky can meet bilaterally. Speaking to the Daily Caller, Trump explained:
“A tri would happen. A bi, I don’t know about, but a tri will happen. But, you know, sometimes people aren’t ready for it. I say, I use the analogy. I’ve used it a couple of times. You have a child, and there’s another child in the lot, in the playground, and they hate each other, and they start swinging, swinging and swinging, and you want them to stop, and they keep going. After a little while, they’re very happy to stop. Do you understand? It’s almost that way. Sometimes they have to fight for a little bit before you can get them to stop.”
Trump often emphasizes his personal ties with Putin. “We got along. You saw it. We’ve had a good relationship over the years—very good, actually. That’s why I really thought we would have this done. I would have loved to have had it done. Maybe they have to fight a little longer. You know, just keep fighting,” he told the Daily Caller.
Earlier this month, Trump announced plans for another conversation with Putin. But on September 5, Kremlin official Yuri Ushakov said he was unaware of any such request from Washington. Putin himself, speaking at the Eastern Economic Forum, noted that he and Trump have an agreement to call each other “if necessary” and described their dialogue as “open.”
Meanwhile, on September 4, Trump met with several European leaders and Zelensky to discuss security guarantees for Kyiv and increasing pressure on Russia. At the same time, a coalition of the willing gathered to provide such guarantees. According to French President Emmanuel Macron, 26 countries confirmed their intention to participate in some form, with the United States also pledging involvement. Putin responded that while Ukraine has the right to security guarantees, they should not come at the expense of other countries’ security. He warned that any foreign troops deployed to Ukraine would be considered legitimate targets for Russia.
Trump insists that progress has been made in talks to end the war, and that his meeting with Putin in Alaska may yield results. He also claims Putin wants the war to end. But the scale of Russia’s recent attacks suggests the opposite. One can speculate on whose side Trump is on, but the facts speak for themselves. President Trump’s meeting with Putin was followed by Russia’s most massive assault and the killing of Ukrainian civilians. Did Putin sense weakness and indecision on Trump’s part? While Europe is tightening sanctions against Russia and planning to halt purchases of Russian gas altogether, Trump’s threats to impose tougher sanctions remain only words. He does not dare contradict the Russian president—and Putin sees it. What is clear is that Putin has no interest in ending the war or meeting with Zelensky. He alone benefits from weakened US support of Ukraine and European alliance leading to the divisions in the Western coalition—divisions that Trump, intentionally or not, has deepened.
Engagement Resources
EXCLUSIVE: Full Transcript: Daily Caller Interviews President Donald Trump,
https://dailycaller.com/2025/09/01/donald-trump-reagan-reese-daily-caller-interview-full-transcript/
Russia launches largest attack of August on Ukraine after Trump-Zelenskyy meeting,
Here’s the transcript of what Putin and Trump said in Alaska,, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/transcript-of-what-putin-trump-said-in-alaska/