Russia Says 'Spirit of Anchorage' Failed, Accuses US of Betrayal
Russian officials have accused the United States of abandoning commitments from the Trump-Putin meeting in Alaska in August 2025, declaring the 'Spirit of Anchorage' concept dead. Moscow now seeks its own victory instead of US mediation.
Over the past three days, three senior Russian officials have blamed the United States for betraying the so-called 'Spirit of Anchorage' – a term Moscow used to describe its hopes for Ukraine's capitulation. Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, and Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov each accused Washington of reneging on promises made during Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin's summit in Alaska in August 2025.
The phrase 'Spirit of Anchorage' (or 'Anchorage understanding') had long been a key tool of Russian diplomacy and propaganda. It reflected the Kremlin's belief that Trump supported Russia's main demand: handing over the entire Donbas territory to Moscow in exchange for a temporary freeze of the front line. Although the US never officially confirmed any such agreement, Russia actively used the term to create an illusion of Washington's consent.
Now the Kremlin admits the concept has completely failed. Ushakov stated that only Russia remained committed to the agreements, while the US failed to fulfill its part. He stressed that Moscow no longer expects compliance but aims solely for its own 'victory'. Lavrov went further, calling the Alaska meeting an American 'dodge' designed to buy time for rearming the Ukrainian army. Ryabkov also noted the US retreat from 'fundamental agreements', though he said contacts with Washington would continue.
Analyst Oleg Ignatov of the International Crisis Group said the offended language masks deep Kremlin disappointment. Russia had hoped the US would mediate a war end on favorable terms, but Trump's focus shifted to confrontation with Iran since February.
Background: Trump and Putin met on August 15, 2025, at a military base in Anchorage, Alaska. The summit ended without any official statements on agreements or a ceasefire. However, the term 'Spirit of Anchorage' emerged immediately in Russian official discourse. In October 2025, Ryabkov declared there was no alternative to it. By early 2026, Russian rhetoric began to shift. On June 23, US Deputy Representative to the UN Dan Negri said Washington supports Ukraine in defending its freedom and sovereignty and called on Russia to return to negotiations immediately, noting that time in this war is against Moscow.
