In a historic and controversial display, U.S. President Donald Trump welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin to Alaska, rolling out the red carpet and even prompting U.S. troops to kneel in an unprecedented gesture of respect. This summit marked their first in-person meeting since 2018 and came as Putin made his first appearance on Western soil since the onset of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

As the world watched, Trump clapped enthusiastically while waiting for Putin at the tarmac, exchanging warm smiles and a firm handshake that underscored a personal rapport. However, the image of American soldiers kneeling at the bottom of the staircase for Putin sparked outrage, particularly in Ukraine, where many interpreted it as a humiliating display of submission. Mustafa Na, former head of Ukraine’s restoration agency, took to social media to lampoon the scene, captioning it, “Make kneeling great again.”

Despite the pageantry, the summit yielded no significant breakthroughs on the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. After three hours of discussions, Trump declared the meeting “extremely productive,” but the lack of concrete outcomes left many questioning the efficacy of such a high-profile encounter. Trump suggested that the responsibility now lies with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to leverage the summit into a peace deal, while European nations must also step up their involvement.

As images of the red carpet moment circulate globally, the meeting highlights a stark contrast between optics and substance. With the war in Ukraine still raging, the summit’s legacy risks being defined by a moment of spectacle rather than any tangible progress toward peace. The world is left to ponder the implications of such an unprecedented diplomatic display and its impact on the ongoing crisis.