“ISW suggests that the Kremlin is likely to use the summit to shift attention from the war in Ukraine to economic negotiations between the two countries”, – WRITE: www.radiosvoboda.org
Analysts believe that the inclusion of Moscow in the delegation on the Alask of the Minister of Finance of Russia Siluanov and the CEO of the Russian Fund of Direct Investments, Special Representative of the Russian President Kirill Dmitriev indicates that Russia will probably try to shift the focus of the summit from the war in Ukraine.
ISW notes that neither Siluanov nor Dmitriev participated in previous negotiations between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul in May or June 2025, but Dmitriev was present during negotiations between the US and Russia in Istanbul in February 2025.
As previously noted by the Institute of War Study, the Kremlin often used Dmitriev to represent Russia as an attractive economic partner for the United States, and used his business experience to defend Russia’s economic interests.
“Dmitriev played an important role in Russian rhetoric, arguing on the eve of the summit that Alaska is a historical part of Russia, and using a summit in order to represent Russia as a world power, equal to the US, which, however, undermines the obvious position of Dmitriev as a neutral arbitrator.”
Moscow rests on Siluanov to reduce the harmful influence of Western sanctions on the Russian economy, trying to convince the West to abolish sanctions because of their allegedly ineffectiveness. The presence of Dmitriev and Siluanov at a summit in Alaska is probably aimed at presenting the summit as a potential business meeting, suggested in ISW.
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Analysts point out that the Kremlin comes to Alaska with a strongly weakened domestic economy, which gives Trump administration significant levers of influence during the summit. In particular, on August 13, Bloomberg reported that Western sanctions and Russian wartime economy are seriously harming the Russian economy, while Putin’s attempts are failed to stabilize the economy as Russian oil revenues continue to fall.
Unnamed officials reported Bloomberg that Putin has repeatedly asked for the weakening of sanctions under any agreement, which would be discussed in Alaska, which, according to ISW, probably indicates that Putin is concerned about the Russian economy and seeks economic relief from the event.
Also, ISW analysts suggest that the Kremlin will also try to distract from the war in Ukraine, pressing on the Trump administration to start bilateral negotiations on weapons control at the Alaska summit.
On August 15, the summit of US leaders and Russia is scheduled in Ankrigge. This will be the first meeting of the Russian leader with the current US President since 2021. It is expected to take place at 11:00 local time (22:00 Kyiv time).
The day before, US President Donald Trump said that the purpose of Alaska Summit on August 15 is to prepare this second possible meeting, which, according to the US President, could also be held on Alaska very soon. It is a meeting with the participation of both President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin. According to Trump, she will be more important than his summit with Putin.
Trump suggested that there is a 25% probability that his meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Alaska would not be successful
The Russian Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated on Thursday that it would be a mistake to try to run forward and anticipate the results of the meeting. According to him, the signing of any documents on the results of the Russian-American summit on Alaska is not planned.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky does not participate in Alaska Presidents and Russia. Earlier, Zelensky stated that Ukraine is not going to “give its land to anyone”, and the Armed Forces themselves will not leave Donbass.
Kyiv insists on solid security guarantees in case of any arrangements with Russia.