Chinese expert predicts the outcome of the meeting between Mr. Putin and Mr. Trump
A Chinese expert said the Alaska summit between President Donald Trump and President Vladimir Putin could help broker a ceasefire.
According to RIA Novosti on August 15, Professor Trinh An Quang - Director of the Institute of International Relations at Nanjing University said in an interview that the summit between the two leaders of Russia and the US showed that the two sides had preliminary negotiations, and the conference in Alaska could facilitate the earliest signing of a ceasefire in the Ukraine conflict.
The expert noted that the August 15 summit in Alaska was a direct dialogue between the two leaders, such a dialogue did not require a higher-level negotiating mandate, allowing for a frank and constructive exchange of views.
Professor Trinh An Quang said: "The two leaders meeting face to face demonstrates the sincere commitment of both sides to resolving the conflict."
The professor said that President Donald Trump had previously expressed optimism about the possibility of reaching an agreement.
"For the leader of the US - Ukraine's most important supporter - to make such a statement, he must have had a relatively well-constructed plan. And Russia and the US have had preliminary negotiations. The summit can help quickly reach a ceasefire agreement," Trinh An Quang further explained.
Mr. Trinh An Quang said that in addition to promoting a political solution to the conflict in Ukraine, this summit could also reach consensus on arms control, normalizing US-Russia relations and easing US and Western sanctions against Russia.
"Mr. Trump has repeatedly stated his desire to restore economic relations between the United States and Russia, he can lift secondary sanctions on Russian oil exports and ease sanctions in the financial, aviation and other sectors of Russian activity," the expert added.
The summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump in Alaska will take place at 11:30 a.m. on August 15 (Alaska time), or 2:30 a.m. on August 16 (Hanoi time). The meeting between the two leaders will begin at the Elmendorf-Richardson military base.
