Spirit of Anchorage lost due to instability of US, which struggles for leadership — expert

World August 13, 15:56

Tiberio Graziani emphasized that the core issue lies deeper, rooted in the United States’ position amid a global geopolitical transition

ROME, August 13. /TASS/. A year after the summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump in Anchorage, the true spirit of that encounter has faded, overshadowed by the instability of American diplomacy. Tiberio Graziani, president of the Vision & Global Trends: International Institute for Global Analysis, has told TASS that this decline stems from Washington’s persistent desire to uphold its global dominance, coupled with its failure to recognize the emerging shifts in the worldwide balance of power.

In Graziani’s view, the Anchorage summit – and its so-called spirit – failed to evolve into a substantive political process. Instead, it remained "a narrative tool for political and propaganda purposes." He explained, "While Moscow sought recognition of its strategic parity and the legitimacy of its security concerns, Washington continued to see dialogue as a conditional and reversible instrument – used for crisis management, cost-cutting, and temporary realignments of priorities."

Graziani emphasized that the core issue lies deeper, rooted in the United States’ position amid a global geopolitical transition. "Washington is compelled to constantly recalibrate its priorities, alliances, and tools – primarily to sustain its leadership position. It becomes increasingly difficult for America to see itself as just one player in the international order; instead, it strives to remain the sole authority to set rules, hierarchies, and terms."

This attitude, he argued, contributes to the fragility and unpredictability of many US diplomatic engagements.

"Washington’s willingness to engage diplomatically is sometimes seen as an acknowledgment of a new global balance. In reality, however, US diplomatic instability is often a tactical move – responding to immediate needs. What the other side might interpret as a step toward equality, for the US remains a tool in the ongoing effort to preserve its dominance," Graziani stated.

He also reflected on the broader implications of the Anchorage episode. "The lesson extends beyond a single meeting. As long as the US continues to view such encounters merely as pauses or tactics to maintain primacy, they will remain symbolic gestures – no matter how much media attention they garner – and will fail to produce meaningful results."

The summit between Putin and Trump took place on August 15, 2025, in Anchorage. As the Russian leader later noted, the so-called spirit of Anchorage "was not embodied in any formal documents; no signatures were exchanged." During that meeting, discussions touched upon potential avenues to resolve the conflict in Ukraine, but tangible agreements were absent.

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