Alaska Summit: How Trump’s Pressure Campaign on Oil, Banking, and Diplomacy Is Redrawing the Global Chessboard

Commentary When President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin meet in Anchorage on Aug. 15, their handshake will make headlines. But the real story runs deeper—a summer-long campaign of calibrated pressure that has pulled two major powers, and their strategic partners, into the same room. This is not just about Ukraine. It is a stress test for America’s ability to shape the actions of two great-power rivals—Russia and China—without firing a shot. The Energy Front: Targeting the Lifeline In February, Moscow’s oil output took another hit. Sanctions, drone strikes, and tightening maritime insurance rules left Russia increasingly dependent on India and China to buy its crude. According to Kpler shipping data, in July 2025, nearly 1.9 million barrels per day of Russian oil were imported by India, more than by any other country....