For the Kremlin, the Trump-Putin meeting in Alaska is a convenient opportunity to pull off another information-psychological operation against Ukrainians.
Military theorist Clausewitz said that war is the continuation of politics by other means. Paraphrasing the Prussian general: for Russia, diplomacy is one of the means of continuing war, including information war. With the approach of Donald Trump’s meeting with Vladimir Putin in Alaska, the Russian propaganda machine has begun working at increased speed. The main target, as always, is Ukrainians, whom Moscow seeks to disorient, demoralize, and ideally push toward destructive actions. Since Putin’s blitzkrieg failed and the impossibility of achieving the declared “SMO goals” became obvious, the Kremlin places its hopes on destroying Ukraine from within. And the meeting in Alaska is a convenient opportunity to pull off another information-psychological operation against Ukrainians.
The Fairy Tale of the Lost Chance
As early as 2023, Russian propaganda began actively promoting among Ukrainian audiences the myth that the war could have ended in March 2022 — after the meeting of Ukraine and Russia representatives in Istanbul. As is known, Moscow expected one thing from that meeting — Ukraine’s agreement to capitulation, which, of course, it did not receive. But propaganda hastily concocted a myth that Kyiv supposedly was ready to agree to Moscow’s “reasonable” terms, but ending the war was forbidden by the then “chief Anglo-Saxon” – British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Allegedly, he gave Zelenskyy the directive to fight, and Ukraine’s “puppet” government was forced to submit. Later, in September 2022, Zelenskyy even “banned negotiations with Russia,” condemning Ukrainians to long years of terrible war.
Since then, some changes have occurred in Kremlin rhetoric — for example, the “Anglo-Saxons” have been forgotten, shifting the “blame for the war” exclusively to “Russophobic Europe,” which fights Russia with Ukrainian hands. But propaganda constantly reminds Ukrainians of the fairy tale about Ukraine’s lost chance for peace. Over time, this fairy tale transformed into a grand narrative about “European puppeteers” who are the main beneficiaries of the war and will conduct war “to the last Ukrainian” through Zelensky’s hands, which will sooner or later end in catastrophe for Ukraine. And now, with the approach of the Alaska meeting, propaganda has again recalled the “chance for peace.”
Subarctic “Yalta”
With the approach of the Alaska meeting, Russian propaganda has intensified emotional pumping of the Ukrainian audience. Information attacks are occurring in three main directions.
First, all Russian sources ‒ both official and unofficial ‒ promote the narrative that the Putin-Trump meeting is irrefutable proof of Russia’s “greatness” and Putin personally. They claim that the “collective West’s” strategy aimed at isolating Russia has failed miserably. Trump has “come to his senses” and on August 15 will determine the fate of the world together with an “outstanding leader” of appropriate weight class ‒ with Putin.
The allusions to the 1945 Yalta Conference are not accidental, when leaders of the victorious countries of World War II agreed on the post-war world order. This is exactly how Moscow suggests Ukrainians perceive the Alaska meeting: you are nobody, your subjectivity is zero, and the best you can do is accept your fate. Regardless of the results of the Putin-Trump meeting, this narrative can have a demoralizing effect.
Second, Russian propaganda presents the Alaska meeting as Ukraine’s “last chance” for peace. Today, Ukrainian intelligence sees no signs that Moscow is preparing to wind down combat operations, so hoping for an “Anchorage miracle” is futile. But propaganda’s task is to heat up Ukrainians’ hopes, and then direct their disappointment against themselves, that is, against Ukraine’s leadership.
It is clear that the war will not stop after August 15, but Moscow is interested in making Ukrainians blame not Putin with his insane ultimatums, but Zelenskyy, who allegedly “once again rejected the opportunity to end the war.” Russian media have already started spreading fakes claiming that Kyiv supposedly plans “provocations” to derail a peaceful settlement.
Of course, no one is planning any “provocations” — these are fakes of the same kind as the “Bucha staging” and the “Ukrainian air defence missiles” that allegedly fall on residential high-rises during every Russian attack.
What exactly Ukraine’s leadership will or will not do after August 15 is of little importance in this case. Russian propaganda will insist that the war continues precisely because of the “intransigent” Zelenskyy, who supposedly has “Napoleonic ambitions,” has “lost touch with reality,” and so on.
In short, this is a classic propaganda strategy: to convince Ukrainians that their enemy is not in Moscow, but in Kyiv.
The minimum program — erode Ukraine’s internal unity around defending its country.
The maximum program — provoke Ukrainians to revolt against their own government, something Russian generals have been eagerly awaiting since the start of the full-scale invasion. Even short-term disruption of the state governance system would be a much heavier blow to Ukraine’s defence capability than Russia’s massive air strikes.
“European Puppeteers”
The third line of Russia’s information attacks is, of course, undermining Ukrainians’ trust in European states. One of the components of Ukraine’s defence capability is productive partnership with EU and NATO countries. And it is not only about military and financial assistance — European countries provide Kyiv with invaluable diplomatic support, stressing that all decisions on Ukraine must be made with Ukraine’s participation, and that its sovereignty and territorial integrity cannot be questioned or revised.
And it is precisely at destroying this partnership that one of the main strikes of Russian propaganda is aimed. Again, it’s the classic attempt to convince the victim that its closest allies are in fact its enemies. For a more sceptical audience, propaganda offers a “lighter” version of this narrative: supposedly, Europe may support Ukraine, but its real influence on the situation is negligible. Therefore, the only thing left for Ukrainians is to accept the terms the US and Russia will agree on in Alaska.
The goal of these manipulations is obvious. The more Ukrainians doubt Europe’s support, the lonelier they will feel — and the more inclined they will be toward “peace at any cost,” which is exactly what Moscow hopes for.
The best antidote to Russian propaganda is common sense and commitment to facts. Ukraine is fighting not for “Zelenskyy’s ambitions” or “foreign interests,” but for its own existence. Official Kyiv is doing everything to achieve a lasting and just peace, and is already ready to take decisive steps toward a peaceful settlement. But the only obstacle to peace is Russia’s position — over the past six months it has only simulated a negotiation process and ignored any peace initiatives, including the US proposal for a ceasefire. Ukraine is ready for talks, but not to comply with the Kremlin’s ultimatums, which are essentially equal to capitulation.
These are objective facts. And if we remember them, Russia will not be able to manipulate our thoughts and emotions.
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