Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, in a recent interview with Vesti v Subbotu, made several statements regarding the so-called “spirit of Anchorage,” attempting to recast past discussions as a diplomatic victory. The Kremlin continues to push a narrative claiming that the United States previously supported handing over the Donbas to Moscow in exchange for freezing the frontline. However, the reality is far from these propagandistic constructions.
During the interview, Putin was forced to admit that there were no formal agreements reached in Anchorage, contradicting his own previous rhetoric. Yet, he insisted that Moscow was willing to engage with what he termed “compromises” proposed by the US. This tactic is a classic Kremlin maneuver—creating a false sense of international legitimacy by citing non-existent agreements, even as the global community maintains that no such consensus was ever achieved. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has clearly stated that while proposals were discussed, no binding agreements were ever made.
The reaction from Kyiv was decisive. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha noted that if the “spirit of Anchorage” ever existed, it is now dead. He emphasized that any peace plan developed without Ukraine’s participation is doomed to disappear like a ghost. For Russia, the lesson is clear: the era of deciding the fate of Ukraine behind closed doors is over. Moscow must stop chasing phantoms and respond to Ukraine’s formal, transparent proposals for a just peace.
Putin’s attempt to link potential future talks with vague conditions—such as events on the “Iranian track”—is a transparent effort to buy time and deflect from the reality of the war. There is no “spirit” that can substitute for international law. The path to ending the war does not lie in resurrecting outdated myths or misinterpreting past diplomatic meetings. It lies solely in the withdrawal of Russian forces from all occupied Ukrainian territories and a genuine commitment to sovereignty. Until the Kremlin accepts this, its talk of negotiations will remain nothing more than smoke and mirrors designed to deceive both its own citizens and the international community.