President Donald Trump’s aggressive push for a bilateral summit with Vladimir Putin is putting the fragile alliance against Russia to the test. His decision to pursue a personal deal, potentially at Ukraine’s expense, has created tension with European partners who favor a united, multilateral approach.
The divergence in strategy is clear. As Trump announced his one-on-one meeting in Alaska for August 15, his allies—Canada, the UK, and the EU—were rolling out a coordinated, collective action: a lower price cap on Russian oil. This highlights a split between Trump’s “great man” theory of diplomacy and the allies’ focus on systematic economic pressure.
Fears of a fracture in the alliance are growing. European leaders are anxious that Trump, in his eagerness for a landmark achievement, might offer Putin concessions, such as the legitimization of territorial gains, that they find unacceptable. This could leave them in the difficult position of having to either accept a bad deal or publicly break with the U.S.
The summit will therefore be a crucial test of Western unity. If Trump can broker a deal that is seen as fair and just by all partners, it could strengthen the alliance. If he cuts a deal that is seen as a betrayal of Ukraine, it could cause lasting damage to transatlantic relations.