Foreign Policy

Russia Advances in Donetsk Expose Dangerous Weaknesses Ahead of Putin-Trump Summit

By Economics Desk | August 15, 2025

As Russian troops breach Ukrainian defenses in Donetsk, Washington faces a critical test: stand firm for Ukrainian sovereignty or capitulate to Kremlin pressure at the Alaska summit.

In the weeks leading up to the high-stakes summit between President Vladimir Putin and former President Donald Trump in Alaska, Russia has made troubling advances deep into Ukraine’s industrial heartland of Donetsk. These limited but strategically timed gains are more than battlefield maneuvers — they are a calculated attempt by Moscow to reshape the narrative ahead of negotiations and force Kyiv into surrendering critical territory. Are We Watching a Manufactured Victory to Pressure America? While Russian forces have only infiltrated parts of Donetsk, analysts warn these incursions are designed less for decisive military conquest than to create an illusion of...

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