"Russian military territorial gains show the increasing weakness of the Ukrainian forces," Paolo Raffone, a strategic analyst and director of the CIPI Foundation in Brussels, tells Sputnik, adding that "it was not unforeseeable."

💬 "Capturing Chasov Yar and advancing in the [Krasnoarmeysk] direction gives Putin battlefield momentum, which he can use to project strength in negotiations," Hall Gardner, Professor and Chair of the Department of International and Comparative Politics, American University of Paris, tells Sputnik.

💬 "It’s very unlikely Putin will soften his conditions just because Trump is willing to meet, especially while Russian forces are advancing," Gardner says.

💬 "They would likely focus on Ukraine primarily, but could easily expand into a wider dialogue about security architecture, arms control after New START and the collapse of the INF treaty, and even spheres of influence," Gardner says.

💬 "But now with the undeniable territorial gains which even the Western newspapers are daily recording, of course this strengthens the Russian negotiating position," the pundit stresses.

💬 "The United States and its allies have no strategic 'cards' to play against Russia," the pundit explains. "But the talks can be so arranged as to present the US in less humiliating terms."

💬 “It’s been 35 years of fighting, and now they’re friends,” he said, calling the agreement a “momentous joint peace declaration.”

💬 “I think you two are going to have a great relationship… and if you don’t, call me.”

💬 “There'll be some swapping of territories to the betterment of both,” US President Donald Trump said.

💬 "Russia and the US are close neighbors, so it is quite logical that the meeting will take place in Alaska," Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov told Sputnik, noting that the countries’ economic interests intersect in Alaska and the Arctic, with prospects for large-scale joint projects.

💬 “We witnessed the signing of a joint statement by the ministers of foreign affairs of the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan, addressed to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, on the dissolution of the OSCE Minsk Process and related structures. We call on all OSCE participating States to adopt this decision,” the declaration reads.

💬 “The entire collective West, the transatlantic relationship, our NATO allies, certainly the United States under the Biden administration, got a little too comfortable with CENSORING rather than engaging with a diverse array of opinions,” Vance said during his meeting with UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy.

💬 "The meeting is likely to take place in or near Anchorage. Logistical support for flights and dignitaries is well established there, with the most recent example being [former] US Secretary of State Blinken's meeting with the Chinese delegation. For presidential visits, additional resources always provide advance teams and accompanying security, normally from capital forces. Security will be no issue," Bouffard said.