The 2025 Trump-Putin Summit: Road to Peace and European Integration

Abstract

This study investigates the 2025 Alaska summit between Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin as a diplomatic effort to address the ongoing armed conflict between Ukraine and the Russia. The primary objective is to analyze the prospects for peace in Ukraine, considering the complex interplay of sovereignty, European integration, security guarantees, reconstruction, and strategic resource management. Specifically, the study aims to identify the constraints and opportunities for Ukraine’s future within the European and global political context. A qualitative research methodology is employed, relying on data sources including speeches, statements, conferences, and organization reports. Key leader’s declarations from the United States, Russia, Ukraine, and European Union countries are interpreted to assess diplomatic intentions and negotiation dynamics. Supplementary data on humanitarian impacts, infrastructure damage, refugee flows, and financial aid are drawn from UNHCR, World Bank Rapid Damage and Needs Assessments (RDNA), and economic reports, enabling an understanding of both material consequences and interests. The results reveal that peace prospects hinge on three interlinked areas: (i) balancing Ukraine’s potential non-membership in the EU and NATO with robust security guarantees; (ii) addressing sovereignty concerns alongside European Union integration; and (iii) coordinating post war reconstruction with resource management to avoid dependency. European Union member states exhibit diverging positions, reflecting economic, security, and geopolitical considerations. The study concludes that the most sustainable path to peace is a hybrid strategy in which the Ukraine abandons the desire of EU membership, obtains security guarantees from non-NATO partners, forms economic cooperation agreements, and keeps full control over its mineral resources. JEL: F51, F52, H56