Watching Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin meet in Anchorage, I was struck less by the setting than by the symbolism. Here was an American president hosting a Russian leader on U.S. soil — yet it was Putin who dictated the tone, seized the microphone first, and walked away looking like the stronger man.

Trump, in typical fashion, showered his guest with praise, even rating the summit a “10” because, as he put it, “it’s good when two big powers get along.” But getting along is not the same as getting results. And on the issue that mattered most — the war in Ukraine — there was nothing. No ceasefire. No roadmap. Not even a hint of progress.

Meanwhile, as they smiled for cameras in Alaska, Ukrainians huddled under air raid sirens. Russian drones continued to strike border regions. And yet, Putin called the talks merely a “reference point” — diplomatic code for stalling while the bombs keep falling.

For Trump, the summit was theatre. For Putin, it was a propaganda victory. And for Ukraine, it was another cruel reminder that their fate cannot be decided by two men exchanging pleasantries thousands of miles away.