Yesterday, there was widespread anticipation of a statement from Vladimir Putin, particularly in response to Donald Trump’s deadline. Putin met with the President of Laos, but no significant statements followed. Today, Alexander Lukashenko joined Putin — together, they visited Valaam, where they discussed the end of the war in a comical manner with local women. Despite appearances, this did not seem staged.
The main feature was Putin repeating familiar rhetoric about achieving the goals of the 'special military operation', carefully avoiding any new messages. Lukashenko, however, mentioned an 'air ceasefire', claiming Russia was open to the idea, though Putin remained silent on the subject.
Experts agree this show was a response to Trump’s ultimatum. There was a public response, but it didn’t look like direct submission to US demands — instead, the message was delivered informally, with Lukashenko serving as a ‘prop’.
Regarding the ‘air ceasefire’, analysts characterize it as mere informational noise because there is no evidence Russia is ready to halt its attacks. Russia’s strategy remains focused on heavy strikes against Ukraine, with no signs of compromise.
Analysts conclude that the meeting served mainly as a tool of information influence, rather than constructive realignment or genuine discussion of policy change by Russia.
