Fareed Zakaria on Trump-Putin Alaska Summit: 'Cringeworthy' Lack of Progress

Cringeworthy Atmospherics

• 🚩 The meeting between President Trump and Vladimir Putin on American soil featured a "cringeworthy" red carpet treatment for Putin, rarely afforded even to US allies.
• 🤝 Trump's perceived view of Putin as an equal, despite Putin being treated as a pariah by the West, contributed to the awkward atmosphere.

Lack of Concrete Achievements

• 🕊️ Despite Trump's goal of peace, the summit yielded no concrete achievements, such as a cease-fire or sanctions relief.
• 📝 Putin's strategy involved no substantive concessions but significant flattery, including claims that Trump would have prevented the war and deserved a Nobel Prize.
• 🤷 The outcome left Trump returning empty-handed, though this is seen as preferable to making major concessions.

Putin's Gains and Missed Consequences

• 🌍 Putin secured international recognition and a high-profile summit on US soil.
• ⏳ The summit also appeared to delay potential new sanctions that Trump had previously threatened.
• ⚠️ Despite promises of