Trump and Putin to Meet in Seward’s Folly, a Territory Once Owned by Russia and Now Known as Alaska

Shortly after presiding over a peace deal between Armenia and Azerbaijan, President Trump and his people announced that a long-anticipated Ukraine Showdown between Trump and Vladimir Putin would take place in Alaska on August 15.

Alaska once belonged to Russia, but it was purchased through the auspices of then-Secretary of State William Seward in 1867, a deal quickly dubbed “Seward’s Folly.” In 1959, Alaska became the 49th State of the U.S.

PLAY THE AUDIO BY PUSHING BUTTON BELOW 

Alaska is an interesting choice because most of Europe is closed to the Russian dictator, who would be arrested for war crimes in almost every country. The Middle East was another choice, but domiciling the discussions in Alaska provides Trump with a more favorable setting.

Of course, I still have my doubts that Trump will stick to his guns (so to speak) enough to get Putin to foreswear any further territorial ambitions in Ukraine or elsewhere.

Actually, I think the only goal is a ceasefire leading to more substantial talks, or perhaps just an agreement to meet again, with or without the addition of Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal, citing comments by European leaders briefed on ongoing negotiations, is reporting that Putin wants Ukrainian forces to pull out of Donetsk and Luhansk altogether, two regions of eastern Ukraine of which Russia already controls the majority.

Zelenskyy has already signaled that any territorial concessions agreed to outside of his approval would be considered null and void.

Anyway, my drawing at top of the page shows Trump and Putin in Alaska, with Putin wearing his “Make the Soviet Union Great Again” hat.