US Said to Have Dragged Kyiv into Conflict
Renowned economist Jeffrey Sachs has been categorical in accusing Washington of igniting the Russia-Ukraine conflict, which is almost three years old now, and bringing Kyiv into a conflict with Moscow. He asserts that America led Kyiv into a conflict against Moscow and now needs to step aside. His statements precede a much-awaited summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska a summit that may well redefine the course of the war.
Sachs cautioned that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine will have to confront the risk that Trump and Putin could negotiate a deal behind Kyiv’s back. Significantly, Zelenskyy has not been included in the Alaska discussions, a move that has sparked Kyiv’s diplomatic fears.
Zelenskyy Pushes Back Amid Battlefield Losses
On Sunday, Zelenskyy condemned Washington for its silence after a spate of hard-hitting Russian air raids, saying that inaction on the part of the US only emboldens Putin. The irritability comes at a time when Ukraine is experiencing one of its most difficult moments in months.
Figures from the US-based Institute for the Study of War, as quoted by AFP, indicate that on August 12 Russian troops captured or took over 110 square kilometers of land in eastern Ukraine within 24 hours the biggest one-day advance for more than a year. The momentum was sustained with new Russian advances on Wednesday, focused on a thin but strategically significant piece of the eastern front line. Ukrainian military officials have warned that Moscow appears poised for further offensives, dashing any hopes for a near-term reduction in hostilities.
Diplomatic Frenzy Ahead of Alaska Talks
In a bid to influence the result of the next Trump-Putin meeting, Zelenskyy went into a whirlwind of diplomatic overtures. On Wednesday, he hosted German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Berlin before sitting with French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, EU leaders, and NATO chiefs for urgent online meetings.
These talks were preceded by a second call featuring Trump and US Vice President JD Vance, in which Western leaders demanded assurances that Ukraine’s sovereignty would not be sacrificed in any potential bargain.
Moscow dismissed these attempts, however. Russia’s foreign ministry characterized the Western overtures as “politically and practically insignificant,” which blamed Kyiv and allies for attempting to “sabotage” negotiations to end the war.
With tensions escalating on the battlefield and at the diplomatic level, the summit in Alaska hangs as a point of inflection a moment that may either intensify Ukraine’s isolation or redefine the trajectory of the conflict altogether.
ALSO READ: Trump Warns Russia of ‘Very Severe’ Consequences if Ukraine War Continues | Watch
