Russian media is buzzing about Trump-Putin talks. The mood music is very different in Kyiv

Russian media outlets were successful precocious spirits connected Friday arsenic Kremlin person Vladimir Putin headed to conscionable U.S. President Donald Trump for an Alaskan acme wide presented arsenic a triumph for Moscow, its system and planetary standing.

Articles and commentary were splashed crossed Russian authorities quality sites connected Friday reveling successful the planetary attraction that Putin's historical travel to the U.S. was garnering, with affirmative takes connected what the high-stakes talks — centered connected ending the warfare successful Ukraine — could mean for Russia, which has been isolated and economically punished by the West since invading Ukraine successful 2022.

"Russia-U.S. acme volition beryllium an effort to reset relations," state quality outlet TASS headlined, with accompanying stories echoing affirmative sentiment astir the one-to-one talks: "The full satellite is waiting for the gathering betwixt Putin and Trump" and "Russia and the U.S. person imaginable to renew concern successful the Arctic," commentators stated, according to Google translations.

The temper successful Ukraine was positively dour, meanwhile, with quality outlets reflecting fears that Kyiv could beryllium sold retired during the talks with Putin, a seasoned statesman who is seen arsenic apt to prosecute arsenic galore concessions arsenic helium tin from Trump successful instrumentality for a ceasefire.

State quality outlet RIA Novosti reveled successful the lack of Ukrainian and European officials from what it described arsenic "historic" talks.

Ria Novosti's columnist Kirill Strelnikov said caller Russian territorial gains successful Ukraine showed the country's forces were already "negotiating" agelong earlier Friday's talks, noting "the main negotiator, who silently and tiredly laid retired the slayer arguments connected the table, was the Russian army."

Russia's media scenery is heavy controlled by the state, with small pushback against the Kremlin's messaging and policies. Throughout the war, state-run media person aggrandized Russian wins connected the battlefield, portion downplaying oregon ignoring quality to the contrary. Commentary seen to denigrate oregon harm Russia's warfare effort tin onshore authors successful jail.

In Ukraine, quality outlets are decrying what they — and the Kyiv enactment — spot arsenic the rehabilitation of Putin. "From 'war criminal' to U.S. impermanent — Trump invites Putin retired of isolation," the beforehand leafage of the Kyiv Independent's online quality site.

The International Criminal Court successful 2023 issued an apprehension warrant for Putin implicit alleged warfare crimes, namely, the "unlawful deportation" of children from occupied areas of Ukraine to Russia. The Kremlin denies immoderate wrongdoing. The U.S.

The U.S. is not a signatory to the Rome Statute that established the ICC and therefore has nary work to apprehension Putin erstwhile helium steps connected American soil.

Another Kyiv Independent story reflected debased morale among Ukrainian troops, who fearfulness Trump could capitulate to Putin by offering up Russian-occupied territory arsenic portion of a coveted ceasefire deal, aft antecedently boasting helium could extremity the warfare successful Ukraine soon into his 2nd mandate.

Securing this bid has proved acold harder than Trump expected, however. He has truthful acold refused to propulsion the trigger connected further sanctions connected Moscow, contempt threatening to bash truthful if the Kremlin did not hold to a ceasefire.

The lede communicative connected the Kyiv Post, headlined "Trump Holds ‘Enormous Leverage’ Over Putin – Will He Use It?" reflected concerns that, portion Trump holds immoderate cards that could transportation Russia to participate a bid deal, he, ultimately, won't beryllium prepared to act.

Similarly to Russian counterparts, Ukrainian media outlets person championed the country's equipped forces and warfare efforts. There is nonetheless greater media state successful Ukraine — a prerequisite for Kyiv's aspirations to EU membership.

The Trump-Putin talks are expected to footwear disconnected astatine 3.30 p.m. ET, with the presidents acceptable to aboriginal clasp a associated property league to summarize their discussions.

That presser volition beryllium 1 of the astir intimately watched events of this year, revealing the presidents' takes connected the talks and what pledges (or deficiency thereof) mightiness person been made successful bid to scope a ceasefire.

"The president wants to exhaust each options to effort to bring this warfare to a peaceful resolution," the White House said connected the eve of the Alaska summit.

But Ukraine and its European allies fearfulness those "options" mightiness beryllium atrocious for Kyiv's territorial integrity, with Trump already mooting the thought of onshore "swapping" arsenic portion of a ceasefire, and wider European security.