As Trump and Putin Meet in Alaska, America Should Reject ‘land for peace’ and Demand a Ukrainian Victory, Russian Withdrawal
President Trump and Vladimir Putin are set to meet in Anchorage on August 15, they will discuss bringing the Russia-Ukraine War to an end.
The world is changing— fast—and yet, especially now, I am proud to be an American. Proud, because being American means having moral clarity when there isn’t any.
Here’s mine: Russia’s war against Ukraine was started by Vladimir Putin, and it must end with a victorious Ukraine.
Victory means no “land swaps,” no carving up Ukraine, no papering over aggression with bureaucratic words. As of press time, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has not been invited to discussions.
We’ve been here before. When democracies accept the forced dismemberment of smaller nations, we don’t get peace—we get a pause. (Just look at how well it went with Neville Chamberlain...)
It is possible it can be different this time, maybe Trump – hopefully Trump can bring peace, true lasting peace that doesn’t sacrifice people or their cultural identity.
Those who whisper that “recognizing realities on the ground” is prudent diplomacy forget what happens when you turn invasion into negotiation. The American delegation must tread lightly.
What Victory Means
Slava Ukraini is not an abstract slogan. It means Victory for Ukraine.
It means Ukraine’s internationally recognized borders are the baseline for peace—not a bargaining chip. It means no de jure recognition of Russian land seizure.
It means Kyiv retains the right to defend itself, to receive arms, and to deepen security ties with allies like NATO.
Some will argue for a quick ceasefire that freezes the lines and leaves Russia squatting on critical terrain. Some people say that Ukraine provoked this conflict.
Look closely at a map: surrendering the “fortress belt” in Donetsk or accepting a freeze along the Dnipro River would hand the Kremlin militarily advantageous jump-off points and a revenue stream from occupied lands, while forcing Ukraine to defend wideopen ground. That’s not a path out of this war, it’s the groundwork for the next one – and we have history to prove it!
Yes, I’ve criticized President Trump on foreign policy before, and yes, I’ll say this now: if he insists on American fundamentals and keeps the door wide open for Ukraine and our European allies to shape the outcome, he will deserve credit.
But if Anchorage becomes an exercise in landfor- peace, history will file it under appeasement— with all that implies.
But Trump has already found significant success in achieving world peace, from Africa, Armenia and Azerbaijan, and between India and Pakistan. It’s not unthinkable he can end this.
But most importantly, Russia cannot win this war—not only because the free world won’t allow it, but because the Kremlin still hasn’t shown the will or the sustained capacity to conquer, hold, and rebuild a free people who refuse to be ruled.
What the U.S. can do—what we must do—is hasten the end on terms that uphold the Rules-Based International Order: Arm Ukraine to endure and deter; Tighten the economic vise; Close the loopholes with allies. A sanctions regime is only as strong as its softest transshipment hub; Make any ceasefire conditional; Push US allies to lose their dependence on Russian Fuel and look to the USA instead.
This Matters in Cibola
From Grants to Milan, it’s easy to feel distant from the frontlines of war.
We aren’t. Perhaps most directly impacting us: Our uranium- mining conversation is shaped by whether democracies decide to be energy-secure or energydependent.
When autocrats redraw borders, insurance rates on ships rise; supply chains wobble, and the bill lands in communities like ours. Food and fuel prices in our county move when Black Sea exports do; the global and the local share a receipt.
Anchorage will test our clarity.
If the meeting affirms that sovereignty is not for sale, that Ukraine’s voice is indispensable, and that aggression carries compounding costs, then it can help end this war sooner and safer. If it is nothing but a shortsighted trade deal and territory swap, then we can expect a bigger and bloodier conflict down the line.
Either way, my bottom line doesn’t change: I want this war to end—and it must end with a victorious Ukraine.
I am Proud to be an American because we are Free and fight for Liberty. We mustn’t allow other Free People to have their Liberties trampled – ever.