The Anchorage summit, orchestrated by Russia, aimed to « use the American president as an accomplice, consciously or not, to force Ukraine into territorial concessions and make it capitulate. » This event is characterized as « self-inflicted humiliation » for Washington, lacking any reciprocal concessions from Russia.

Françoise Thom’s analysis provides a critical framework, asserting that « The Trump administration is in the process of saving the Putin regime, which it needs to extort Europe. » She argues that Russia’s actions are part of a consistent historical strategy involving a « foreign accomplice » and the « salami tactic, » designed to incrementally undermine victims while appearing to seek compromise. Thom contends that the proposed « deal » with the US is a « lure » intended to exploit Trump’s transactional approach to foreign policy, ultimately aimed at weakening Europe.

Crucially, Françoise Thom highlights that « Europeans are in a position of strength » due to Russia’s economic dependence on Europe. She advocates for a resolute European strategy involving clear dissociation from any US « betrayal » of Ukraine, direct security guarantees for Kyiv, and the use of economic leverage to force Russian withdrawal from occupied territories. The overarching theme is a call for European strategic lucidity and proactive engagement to counter Russian aggression, which is framed as a « metaphysical threat.