February 11, 2026
Russia Keeps Citing A ‘Spirit of Anchorage’ From Last Summer’s Trump–Putin Summit, But That Term Exists Only In Moscow’s Vocabulary
Russian officials and state media have eagerly adopted the term “the spirit of Anchorage,” sometimes substituting “the Anchorage impulse” or “the Anchorage formula.” These phrases refer to a meeting between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump in Anchorage, Alaska, on August 15, 2025, at which the two leaders discussed prospects for ending the war in Ukraine. However, the summit concluded without any diplomatic breakthroughs, raising the question: Why is Moscow so committed to promoting a “spirit of Anchorage”?
TL;DR
- Russian officials and state media use the term "spirit of Anchorage" to describe a meeting between Putin and Trump in August 2025, despite a lack of diplomatic breakthroughs.
- Moscow claims "understandings" were reached, including Ukraine's surrender of Donbas and Russia's maintenance of claims in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.
- The "spirit of Anchorage" includes Russia's refusal to accept a ceasefire as a precondition for peace talks, a demand ignored by Russia and the U.S.
- Russian diplomats believe the summit established new principles for resolving international problems, a concept not recognized by the U.S.
- The U.S. views the Anchorage summit as part of ongoing negotiations for a deal, not as a framework for a new international order.
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