The Summit and After

I must confess that the two-hour discussion held by Danny Haiphong with Pepe Escobar then Marc Sleboda goes well beyond any synopsis I might personally provide. There’s no readout yet from the Kremlin about the talks, although there are a few comments made by those informed of them once Putin retrrned to Moscow after meeting with the Governor of Chukota. The optics were very important as was the observation made about the non-presser—Putin spoke first and took 67% of the time spent addressing the assembled media. Escobar and Sleboda comment further on the media’s behavior, which IMO is also important to note. Instead of posting a bunch of photos, here’s the link to those taken at Putin’s report to his Team where you’ll just need to look at the facial expressions. Numbers 1 & 3 are choice. One important point made from the start was the scrambling of the agenda as Putin rode with Trump in the latter’s limo and thus had their face-to-face without interpreters—Putin knows English quite well, which might surprise some. Again, the optics are key:

With US President Donald Trump before the start of a joint news conference.

You’ll note in the header photo of the non-presser scene that the usual national flags are missing from the background. There’s a video of the non-presser along with the transcript here. So, lets read what was said:

V. Putin: Dear Mr. President! Ladies and gentlemen!

Our negotiations were held in a constructive and mutually respectful atmosphere, and they were very detailed and useful.

I would like to thank my American colleague once again for the offer to come to Alaska. It is quite logical to meet here, because our countries, although we are separated by oceans, are actually close neighbors. And I, when we met, got off the planes, I said so: "Good afternoon, dear neighbor. It is very nice to see you in good health and alive." And it sounds very neighborly, in my opinion, kind. We are separated only by the Bering Strait, and there are only two islands between the Russian and American islands, which are only four kilometers apart. We are close neighbors, and this is a fact.

It is also important to note that Alaska is associated with a significant part of the shared history of Russia and the United States, as well as many positive events. To this day, there is a vast cultural heritage from the era of Russian America, including Orthodox churches and over 700 geographical names of Russian origin.

During the Second World War, it was in Alaska that the legendary air route for the supply of combat aircraft and other equipment under the Lend-Lease agreement began. It was a dangerous and challenging route over vast expanses of ice, but the pilots and specialists of both countries did everything they could to bring victory closer, taking risks and sacrificing their lives for the common cause.

I have just been in the city of Magadan in Russia, where there is a monument to Russian and American pilots, and the flag on the monument is both Russian and American. I know that there is also a similar monument here, in the military cemetery just a few kilometers away, where Soviet pilots who died during this heroic mission are buried. We are grateful to the American authorities and citizens for their respect for their memory. This is a dignified and noble gesture.

We will always remember other historical examples when our countries fought together against common enemies in the spirit of camaraderie and alliance, providing each other with assistance and support. I am confident that this legacy will help us to rebuild and establish mutually beneficial and equal ties at a new stage, even in the most difficult circumstances.

As you know, there have been no Russian-American summit meetings for more than four years. This is a long time. The past period has been very difficult for bilateral relations, and, frankly, they have reached their lowest point since the Cold War. This is not good for our countries or for the world as a whole.

It is obvious that sooner or later, it was necessary to rectify the situation and move from confrontation to dialogue. In this regard, a personal meeting between the heads of the two countries was really overdue, of course, with the condition of serious and painstaking preparation, and this work was generally carried out.

We have established very good direct contacts with President Trump. We have had many frank conversations on the phone. As you know, Mr. Whitcoff, the special representative of the President of the United States, has visited Russia several times. Our assistants and foreign ministers have also been in regular contact.

As you know and understand, one of the central issues is the situation in Ukraine. We see the desire of the US Administration and President Trump personally to help resolve the Ukrainian conflict, and their willingness to delve into its essence and understand its origins.

I have repeatedly said that for Russia, the events in Ukraine are associated with fundamental threats to our national security. Moreover, we have always considered the Ukrainian people to be our brothers, as I have said many times. We share the same roots, and what is happening to us is a tragedy and a great pain. Therefore, our country is genuinely interested in putting an end to this.

At the same time, we are convinced that in order for the Ukrainian settlement to be sustainable and long-term, all the root causes of the crisis that have been repeatedly mentioned must be eliminated, all legitimate concerns of Russia must be taken into account, and a fair balance in the field of security in Europe and in the world as a whole must be restored.

I agree with President Trump, who said today that Ukraine's security must be ensured. Of course, we are ready to work on this.

I hope that the understanding we have reached will bring us closer to that goal and pave the way for peace in Ukraine.

We expect that Kiev and the European capitals will take this in a constructive manner and will not put any obstacles in the way, nor will they attempt to disrupt the progress through provocations or behind-the-scenes intrigues.

By the way, with the new US administration, our bilateral trade turnover has started to increase. It's still symbolic, but it's a 20% increase. I'm saying that we have many interesting areas for joint work.

It is clear that the Russian-American business and investment partnership has enormous potential. Russia and the United States have much to offer each other in trade, energy, digital technologies, high-tech industries, and space exploration.

Cooperation in the Arctic and the resumption of interregional contacts, including between our Far East and the American West Coast, are also relevant.

In general, it is important and necessary for our countries to turn the page and return to cooperation.

It is symbolic that the so-called date line, which runs along the border between Russia and the United States, as I have already mentioned, is located nearby, where you can literally step from yesterday into tomorrow. I hope that we will be able to achieve the same in the political sphere.

I would like to thank Mr. Trump for our joint work and the friendly and trusting tone of our conversation. The most important thing is that both sides were focused on achieving results. We see that the President of the United States has a clear vision of what he wants to achieve, is genuinely concerned about the prosperity of his country, and at the same time understands that Russia has its own national interests.

I hope that today's agreements will serve as a foundation not only for resolving the Ukrainian issue, but also for restoring business-oriented and pragmatic relations between Russia and the United States.

In conclusion, I would like to add the following. I remember that in 2022, during my last contacts with the previous administration, I tried to convince my former American colleague that we should not allow the situation to escalate into a conflict that could have serious consequences. I told him that this would be a big mistake.

Today, we hear President Trump say, "If I were president, there would be no war." I think that's exactly what would happen. I can confirm this because I have a very good, business-like, and trusting relationship with President Trump. I have every reason to believe that by following this path, we can reach a resolution to the conflict in Ukraine, and the sooner the better.

Thank you for your attention.

: (as translated)D.Trump Thank you very much, Mr. President. This is a very profound speech.

I would like to say that we had a very productive meeting, and we discussed many issues. I believe that some of them were really significant.

We were unable to find a full understanding. Unfortunately, there is no deal yet. I will be in touch with NATO representatives, and I will be in touch and speak with the necessary leaders, with President Zelensky, and I will inform him about today's meeting.

I agree with Foreign Minister [Marco] Rubio, Special Envoy [of the US President Steven] Whitkoff, and their position. I thank you for your work and assistance, and you are doing an excellent job.

We also have some great business representatives and others here. If you want to cooperate with us, we look forward to it, we look forward to working together. We would like to end this conflict as soon as possible.

Today, we have made significant progress. I have a very good relationship with President Putin. We have had many difficult meetings with Vladimir Vladimirovich, as well as many good meetings. We know that the fake situation about Russia's "interference" in the American elections... He [V. Putin] understands this perfectly well, considering his career, and he knows that it is not true: "Russia, Russia, Russia." He understands that everything that has been done is a criminal effort.

Of course, we will have a good opportunity to work together. I would like to say very quickly that I will make a few phone calls and inform the European leaders about what has been discussed.

We had productive negotiations. And the first and most important thing, I think, is that we have a good chance of reaching a peaceful settlement. We haven't reached it yet, but I thank President Putin and his team for doing everything necessary to achieve this.

I see your faces in the papers. You are actually almost as well-known as your boss, especially this gentleman here. (Points to Lavrov)

We have had many productive meetings over the years. And indeed, we had a productive meeting today.

Thousands of people are dying every week, and President Putin would like to end this conflict as much as I do. I thank you, Mr. President, and we will be in touch with you very, very soon. I hope to see you soon.

Thank you.

: (in English) V. Putin Next time in Moscow.

: (as translated) D. Trump This is a very interesting proposal. I'm probably going to be criticized, but I think it's possible.

I thank you, Mr. President. I thank all of you.

: (in English) V. Putin Thank you very much. [My Emphasis]

A FOX “Bubbleheaded bleached-blond” commented that Putin “steamrolled” Trump. which you’ll see if you watch the Haiphong chat. As usual, Putin’s tact and command of history along with his matter-of-fact manner is hard to beat—it’s so Russian versus American bombast. Putin’s mention of bilateral trade probably surprised many in the room given the thousands of sanctions levied on Russia. Trump’s description of Russiagate as “criminal” will disturb some. IMO, the paragraph about global security was the most important one uttered by either, although I suspect it won’t be cited in full by Western media. Putin’s report to his team that we’re allowed to know is very short:

V. Putin: Dear colleagues, good afternoon!

I have asked you to come together in order to inform you about the results of the visit of our delegation to the United States, to Alaska.

I would like to say right away that the visit was timely and very useful. We talked about almost all aspects of our cooperation, but above all, of course, we talked about a possible resolution of the Ukrainian crisis on a fair basis. And of course, we had the opportunity, which we took advantage of, to talk about the genesis and causes of this crisis. It is the elimination of these root causes that should be the basis for a settlement.

It has been a long time since we have directly negotiated at this level. I repeat, we had the opportunity to calmly and in detail reiterate our position. Of course, we respect the position of the American administration, which recognizes the need for an early end to hostilities. We also want to resolve all issues through peaceful means.

The conversation was very frank and informative, and I believe it brings us closer to the right solutions.

I will tell you in detail about the entire conversation. If you have any questions, I will be happy to answer them. [My Emphasis]

It would be nice to know more and know the questions asked. We do have a report made by Medvedev on his Telegram that makes the following points:

Meeting in Alaska
First results

1. A full-fledged mechanism for meetings between Russia and the United States at the highest level has been restored. Calm, without ultimatums and threats.

2. The President of Russia personally and in detail outlined to the President of the United States our conditions for ending the conflict in Ukraine.

3. Following an almost three-hour conversation, the head of the White House refused to escalate pressure on Russia. At least for now.

4. Important: the meeting proved that negotiations are possible without preconditions and simultaneously with the continuation of the NWO.

5. The main thing is that both sides have directly placed the responsibility for achieving future results in the negotiations on the cessation of hostilities on Kyiv and Europe. [Format Original]

Before leaving Alaska, Putin visited the Fort Richardson cemetery where the remains of Soviet soldiers are buried—the counterpart to the Magadan memorial. Here’s what the Kremlin said about the event:

At the national cemetery on the plot "Allies during the Second World War" there are 14 Soviet burials. The names and military ranks of 11 servicemen have been established: nine pilots, who participated in the ferry of aircraft along the Alaska airway - Siberia, and two sailors who were in the United States to receive ships under Lend-Lease. One grave remains unknown, two more burials are considered civilian.

The Russian head of state also spoke with Archbishop Alexy of Sitka and Alaska. The President of Russia presented him with an image of St. Herman of Alaska – the Orthodox patron saint of America and the icon of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos.

In addition, Vladimir Putin had a brief conversation with Fort Richardson National Cemetery Director Dwayne Mandenhall, thanked him for his preservation and kind attitude to memory Soviet soldiers.

Putin had one more stop on his way back to Moscow and that was at Chukotka where he met with Governor Vladislav Kuznetsov to follow-up on the region’s development.

As you see by the map on the wall behind them, Chukotka is a rather large region almost a quarter the size of European Russia. Here’s the discussion:

V. Kuznetsov: Good afternoon, dear Vladimir Vladimirovich!

If you don't mind, I'll start with a brief overview of the region's economy.

V. Putin: Please.

V. Kuznetsov: Vladimir Vladimirovich, the economic indicators look good in progression. We have the second place in the Far Eastern Federal District in terms of industrial production. We have the fourth place in the Far Eastern Federal District in terms of investments in fixed assets. The number of small and medium-sized enterprises is growing. We are actively working with them, and people trust us and start developing their businesses. We have the first place in the Far Eastern Federal District in terms of retail trade.

We also work actively with agriculture, because we believe that everything we can do ourselves, we should do ourselves.

V. Putin: The agricultural products have fallen a little, haven't they?

V. Kuznetsov: Yes, but we "got caught up" in the fact that we were renovating our greenhouses, which will allow us to produce 30 percent more vegetables this year than in 2023. There was a renovation, so we were partially "caught up" in that.

Our mineral extraction is also growing, and we are the fourth largest producer in the Far Eastern Federal District.

When it comes to social indicators, we are among the best: we are the first in the Far Eastern Federal District, and we are among the best in Russia in terms of poverty and unemployment rates.

In terms of our achievements, we can indirectly say that we have moved up to the 28th group in the National Rating of the Investment Climate in the Regions of the Russian Federation. We have been growing for two years in a row, and we have taken sixth place in the annual ranking of the investment attractiveness of the regions of Russia. In other words, we have moved up ten positions in two years.

We work with entrepreneurs and investors; people believe and come. But of course, this is largely due to the fact that the Far East has a unique investment climate. Chukotka has three preferential tax zones, and we are very competitive compared to other regions. This is a great support for creating an investment climate.

If we go further, we are actively participating in all national projects, and the number of facilities is growing. But I would like to stop here again and express my gratitude for the master plans of the reference points.

V. Putin: By city.

V. Kuznetsov: Yes.

We currently have master plans for the Anadyr agglomeration, Egvekinot, Pevek, and Bilibino, where 82 percent of the population lives. This means that a large number of people are affected, and these are crucial social infrastructure projects for us. In Anadyr, we have a sports center with a swimming pool, which has long been needed and is part of our plans; we also have a creative industries center, medical facilities, and wastewater treatment facilities that we previously lacked. We are already implementing a master plan, and several projects have already been completed, including the improvement of the main square.

Also, Vladimir Vladimirovich, the airboats that you ordered us to purchase last year to ensure our transport accessibility. They have been operating successfully this year, and I would like to express my gratitude. Additionally, we have purchased two more airboats to increase the number of passengers we transport. These airboats have proven to be highly effective. They are our good boats. [These were discussed during Putin’s 2024 visit which is available in the Gym archive.]

V. Putin: So it works?

V. Kuznetsov: It works, yes, literally.

In accordance with your order, we are increasing our logistical accessibility. You know, we have a difficult situation: there are no permanent roads, and there is no railway. Our transportation is primarily by air. We have four new helicopters in two years, and two more are expected to arrive in September. I have already mentioned the airboats.

And of course, infrastructure projects. I have already said that we are now trying to provide ourselves with as much as we can, because it is better to do it ourselves than to carry it in our short period of navigation. There are three poultry farms, and we are finally closing our own egg needs this year.

In terms of our communication issues, you have also mentioned them. We are actively working with the Ministry of Digital Development on the installation of cable internet.

V. Putin: It's expensive so far - everything goes through the satellite.

V. Kuznetsov: There is one here in the Anadyr agglomeration. We have a submarine cable laid along the seabed, and we plan to join Yakutia, which is building it. There will be a short chord, and we will join it in a few years.

V. Putin: Make sure to do this.

V. Kuznetsov: Vladimir Vladimirovich, absolutely, because there are large construction sites in that area, and it's simply impossible to do without the internet.

As for medicine, Vladimir Vladimirovich, you ordered that...

V. Putin: Non-depletable reserves.

V. Kuznetsov: And this, and the recruitment of doctors. We are actively working with Mikhail Albertovich Murashko. We currently have more than 85 percent of our doctors.

Of course, there are not enough specialists in the field, but we have more than 100 people studying outside the district, and they will come to us. We also work in so-called shifts, when doctors come to us, and they don't just come for a day in the village—they stay until the last person leaves. This is how we operate.

Vladimir Vladimirovich, one of the main goals, of course, is demography. And here, the support measures that we provide for the second and third child are really working well. It's a good indicator: we're gaining ground, and we're in second place in the Far Eastern Federal District.

Vladimir Vladimirovich, culture is very important, because we have a multi-ethnic region: we have Chukchi, Eskimos, and other ethnic groups, and it is very important to preserve our cultural heritage.

There was no drama theater. I believe that theater is very important, because it is a platform, a mouthpiece for both propaganda and the preservation of culture. They created the Oleg Kuvayev Drama Theater. Indeed, there was a great demand from the people, and now there are many premieres and tours in the villages.

By the way, we are currently hosting an interesting event. The Helikon Opera has arrived, which is unprecedented for us. I hope that most of the visitors will be able to attend.

Vladimir Vladimirovich, I would like to say a few more words about what we are doing in terms of patriotic education. We have officially become a pilot project of the Ministry of Education for patriotic, spiritual, and moral education, as well as for traditional values among preschool children, because, among other things, I am the head of the Commission for Preschool Patriotic Education at the State Council, and it is during the preschool years that a child's personality is largely formed. From the ages of three to six, a child's character and personality are shaped. After that, it becomes more about comparing and choosing models. But the main part, cognitive skills, are formed at this time. It is very important that children receive proper education at this time. Therefore, we are actively working on this, and all our kindergartens are involved. We will propose amendments to the legislation to ensure that this work is as systematic as possible.

A few words about investment projects. In fact, according to the economic indicators I mentioned, investments in fixed assets are being made, and people are coming to Chukotka, as I have already mentioned, thanks to the preferential regimes we have.

One of the largest projects is the Baim project. You know it, and it has now gained access to VEB's project factory. At the end of 2028, two power units will be built for it by Rosatom, and by 2030, two more will be added to support the project, which is one of the largest copper mines in the world and contributes to a quarter of the Russian Federation's copper production.

We also have a major tin project in the works – the Pyrkakaisky Stockworks, which will make our country an exporter of tin. We will also launch it in 2028.

Vladimir Vladimirovich, of course, I can't help but mention the special military operation. We are actively working on our sponsored territory in Novoluganskoye, Donetsk Republic.

Difficult territory. We see our goal as providing people with the necessary infrastructure. Unfortunately, everything there was destroyed by the enemy. This year there was light, now we are working to ensure that there is water, should appear this year. And of course, we repair buildings. Very close to the front line. Unfortunately, enemies interfere with your work. [My Emphasis]

Given its location, the results are impressive. Overall, the trip was a smashing success, not just the Summit results. As many will note, the degree of soft power on exhibition by Russia dwarfs that of the entire West. One question begged is why does Trump seek investment opportunities in the Russian Arctic when America’s Arctic is so underdeveloped. Is it because US Big Business doesn’t want or can’t afford to spend the money developing the required infrastructure and would rather piggyback on the investments Russia’s already made and the infrastructure it’s built?

There’s plenty to digest between the above and all the other commentary being made about the Summit now and over the next several days. Then discussion will turn to the Trump-Zelensky meeting and the chances for Trump going to Moscow. And perhaps the Zionists will try and attack Iran again to provide a distraction.

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