Opinion article: Trump and Putin's meeting has massive ramifications for Europe

American President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin met in Alaska today. The tensions from both sides loomed over the meeting, as the war continued to rage on.

Although it was claimed to be productive, the meeting's outcome appears to have been inconclusive. Trump stated that he wanted to talk to Ukrainian President Zelensky and other European leaders soon in order to discuss Russia's terms. The meeting has been rooted in controversy, especially because Ukraine was not invited. The main reason for this is likely due to Putin's lack of interest in meeting Zelensky directly. The precedent has been set by Ukraine and Russia's previous meetings, most recently, their conference in Istanbul.

Due to the lack of a peace deal, I believe that Trump is getting more frustrated. For Trump, getting a peace deal for the war is one of his most important goals, as he came into office on the promise. It may be likely that the longer the war goes on, the more willing Trump may be to support a deal that benefits the Kremlin. Europe is also watching keenly, as Trump's reaction to Russia's terms for peace will gauge how reliable they think the United States is in a possible conflict. While I believe that lasting peace is essential, the way Trump is trying to achieve that goal is causing more harm than good.