The Alaska Summit: A Photo-Op Farce

The Alaska Summit: A Photo-Op Farce

Guest article by Michael Cohen.


People love to say I’m too cynical, even on the weekends. That I see ulterior motives in everything. But after more than a decade working for President Trump, I’ve learned you can’t be cynical enough. If you think he’s doing something for the greater good, you’re not looking closely enough. In fact, you might be in the cult. Which brings us to the traveling circus that is about to set up shop in Alaska: Trump and Vladimir Putin, together again, this time to “negotiate” the end of the war in Ukraine. Sounds noble, right? World peace, high-stakes diplomacy, two great powers coming together to stop the bloodshed. Cue the swelling violins.

Now here’s the reality check: the one person who isn’t invited to this so-called “peace summit” is the actual president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy — the guy whose country has been invaded, bombed daily, and carved up like it’s a real estate deal in Atlantic City circa 1987. You know, the guy whose soldiers are dying every single day on the front lines. The man elected to represent 44 million Ukrainians doesn’t get a seat at his own table. But Trump and Putin do.

Let me decode that for you. This is not a negotiation; it’s a photo-op. A show. A scripted performance in which the ending has already been decided — and not by the people of Ukraine. You see, Trump wants to slap “The Peace President” on a MAGA hat, maybe even pick out a tux for the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony. He’s thinking about legacy, not liberty. His legacy, not Ukraine’s. He knows the war has become a political liability in the U.S., and he’s betting that if he can “end” it — no matter how — it’ll be the crowning moment of his second term. More than Armenia and Azerbaijan. More than India and Pakistan. A moment he can ride straight into history books, preferably the glossy ones with his face on the cover.

Putin, on the other hand, isn’t flying to Alaska for the scenic glaciers. He’s there for the land he’s already stolen and the land he still wants: the occupied regions of Ukraine, plus the mineral rights, plus whatever other goodies are hiding in the fine print. He’s playing the long game, and for Putin, this meeting is the perfect opportunity to get what he wants without having to give up much of anything — if anything at all. All he has to do is toss Trump enough of a “win” to keep the handshake cameras clicking.

https://www.meidasplus.com/p/the-alaska-summit-a-photo-op-farce