Borders won’t be key issue in Trump-Putin talks – political analyst

Vadym Denysenko, a political scientist and historian, expressed this opinion on Espreso TV.

“As strange as it may sound, the key issue in the negotiations between Trump and Putin will not be the borders, which are currently widely discussed. The U.S. has taken a clear stance on borders. That position is that the border today represents the frontline. Essentially, the future border will follow the line of contact, meaning the occupied territories will be recognized de facto as Russian-controlled, but de jure no one will acknowledge them as part of Russia. The U.S. will follow the example of the Baltic states when they were part of the USSR. Those countries were reincorporated into the USSR in 1945, but the U.S. and Europe never recognized them as de jure Soviet territory,” Denysenko explained.

According to the political analyst, the effectiveness of these talks will depend on the format chosen for lifting sanctions on Russia. “Regarding the main issue to be discussed, it’s sanctions. In Alaska, Trump and Putin are expected to talk about how and in what format sanctions on Russia should be lifted. The success of these negotiations will depend on whether such a format is agreed upon—or not,” he added.

• Putin is attempting to use negotiations involving U.S. President Donald Trump as a means to return to the global political stage and regain influence.