August 16, 2025

Indicted War Criminal Plays Convicted Felon Like Fiddle


Indicted War Criminal Plays Convicted Felon Like Fiddle
Putin and Trump between two Lenins. Freeskipper / Dreamstime

In the first US-Russian Presidential summit since Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the leaders of the two countries met at a remote Alaskan military base, shook hands, smiled, walked down a very long red carpet, drove around in the US limousine nicknamed “The Beast,” and then proceeded to resolve exactly nothing. 

In the buildup to the summit, Convicted Felon and Twice-Impeached President of the United States Donald Trump issued an ultimatum that there would be "severe consequences" for Putin if progress was not made on ending the war. 

No such progress was made, and so Trump let loose his flying monkeys. As he stated in a post-summit interview with Fox Newspeak, "I may have to think about it in two weeks or three weeks or something, but we don't have to think about that right now."

Indicted International War Criminal and Russian President for Life Vladimir Putin said in the joint press statement after the leaders’ long private meeting that he was "sincerely interested" in ending his War on Ukraine. But he also said that, to settle it, the "primary roots" of the conflict and the "legitimate concerns" for Russia had to be considered. Those concerns were not specifically noted, but most observers feel they stem from the fact that an independent country named Ukraine has the nerve to exist on Russia’s western border. 

“There’s no deal until there’s a deal,” Trump said with the vacuous pomposity for which he is noted. Also, he said Ukrainian President should “take the deal.”

“It would be hard to imagine an event that could have gone better from the point of view of the Russian leader,” wrote The New York Times. 

Wolfgang Ischinger, head of the Munich Security Conference, said the summit was a clear "1-0" victory for Putin. "Putin got his red carpet treatment with Trump, while Trump got nothing," he posted on X. "As was to be feared: no ceasefire, no peace."

“The photo-op in and of itself essentially legitimizes war crimes,” said Senator Chris Murphy, Democrat of Connecticut. “[It] telegraphs to other autocrats or evil men around the world that they can get away with murdering civilians and still get a photo-op with the president of the United States.” 

Trump said that he would rate the meeting a 10 out of 10, saying, "I think the meeting was a 10 in the sense that we got along great."  

When asked about what agreements were made at his Alaskan Nothingburger Summit, Trump noted cryptically, "some are not that significant. One is probably the most significant. We have a very good chance of getting there. We didn't get there."

You Might Also Like

The Moscow Summit
  • May 01, 2002

The Moscow Summit

In May, US President George Bush became only the sixth sitting US President to visit Russia. On the eve of this visit, we met with one of Russia's leading Amerikanists, Georgi Bovt, and got his read on what to expect for the summit and the months beyond.
US & Russia: Allies Again?
  • November 01, 2001

US & Russia: Allies Again?

The September 11 terrorist bombings have changed everything, including, it seems, the nature of the US-Russian relationship. Russian Life talked with a Russian opinion leader to gauge what the future may hold.
A Soviet Leader in the US? Preposterous!
  • September 15, 2014

A Soviet Leader in the US? Preposterous!

When you're a Soviet dictator, it's rare that you get the chance to tour the US, visiting movie sets, meat freezers, and steel mills, being featured on TV, and laughing at angry farmers. Nikita Khrushchev got that chance 55 years ago. And he made the most of it.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

Life Stories
September 01, 2009

Life Stories

The Life Stories collection is a nice introduction to contemporary Russian fiction: many of the 19 authors featured here have won major Russian literary prizes and/or become bestsellers. These are life-affirming stories of love, family, hope, rebirth, mystery and imagination, masterfully translated by some of the best Russian-English translators working today. The selections reassert the power of Russian literature to affect readers of all cultures in profound and lasting ways. Best of all, 100% of the profits from the sale of this book are going to benefit Russian hospice—not-for-profit care for fellow human beings who are nearing the end of their own life stories.

Murder at the Dacha
July 01, 2013

Murder at the Dacha

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin has a problem. Several, actually. Not the least of them is the fact that a powerful Soviet boss has been murdered, and Matyushkin's surly commander has given him an unreasonably short time frame to close the case.

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas
October 01, 2013

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

This exciting new trilogy by a Russian author – who has been compared to Orhan Pamuk and Umberto Eco – vividly recreates a lost world, yet its passions and characters are entirely relevant to the present day. Full of mystery, memorable characters, and non-stop adventure, The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas is a must read for lovers of historical fiction and international thrillers.

 
The Samovar Murders
November 01, 2019

The Samovar Murders

The murder of a poet is always more than a murder. When a famous writer is brutally stabbed on the campus of Moscow’s Lumumba University, the son of a recently deposed African president confesses, and the case assumes political implications that no one wants any part of.

Woe From Wit (bilingual)
June 20, 2017

Woe From Wit (bilingual)

One of the most famous works of Russian literature, the four-act comedy in verse Woe from Wit skewers staid, nineteenth century Russian society, and it positively teems with “winged phrases” that are essential colloquialisms for students of Russian and Russian culture.

Survival Russian
February 01, 2009

Survival Russian

Survival Russian is an intensely practical guide to conversational, colloquial and culture-rich Russian. It uses humor, current events and thematically-driven essays to deepen readers’ understanding of Russian language and culture. This enlarged Second Edition of Survival Russian includes over 90 essays and illuminates over 2000 invaluable Russian phrases and words.

At the Circus
January 01, 2013

At the Circus

This wonderful novella by Alexander Kuprin tells the story of the wrestler Arbuzov and his battle against a renowned American wrestler. Rich in detail and characterization, At the Circus brims with excitement and life. You can smell the sawdust in the big top, see the vivid and colorful characters, sense the tension build as Arbuzov readies to face off against the American.

Faith & Humor
December 01, 2011

Faith & Humor

A book that dares to explore the humanity of priests and pilgrims, saints and sinners, Faith & Humor has been both a runaway bestseller in Russia and the focus of heated controversy – as often happens when a thoughtful writer takes on sacred cows. The stories, aphorisms, anecdotes, dialogues and adventures in this volume comprise an encyclopedia of modern Russian Orthodoxy, and thereby of Russian life.

About Us

Russian Life is the 31-year-old publication of an award-winning publishing house that also creates books, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955