After the summit in Alaska between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin ended without any concrete pathway to peace, retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. Tony Shaffer told Newsmax on Saturday that “the sticking point still is the land, the four provinces” that Putin wants.
“The most important thing in my view is the fact that the two largest superpowers on the planet are at least talking,” he said during an appearance on “Wake Up America Weekend.”
“And I know everybody is getting down in the weeds, and we’re looking at indicators and trying to read the tea leaves. But I think the fact that we have a path, we have a dialogue, it looks like [Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelenskyy is going to come right into this.
“I think it’s all very positive. What’s not positive is what is coming in the way of reactions from Zelensky in Europe,” Shaffer said.
Putin will not give up the land he has taken over following 3 ½ years of conflict, he said.
“I think the sticking point still is the land — the four provinces that the Russians want — and the fact that on our side we’re calling for a freeze, something that Putin will not accept.
“I was just going through the numbers. The Russians now have 20% of Ukraine. They’re making great advances in patrols, so they’re winning on the battlefield,” Shaffer said.
“It will be difficult for Putin to sell anything that does not permit a recognition of what they’ve done regarding the advances. So it’s good, but there’s a lot of challenges still out there they’re going to have to face.”
GET TODAY :
is the fastest-growing cable news channel in America with more than 30 million people watching!
Reuters Institute reports is one of the top news brands in the U.S.
You need to watch today.
Get it with great shows from Rob Schmitt, Greta Van Susteren, Greg Kelly, Carl Higbie, Rob Finnerty – and many more!
Find the channel on your cable system –
Sign up for and get , our streaming channel and our military channel World at War.
Find hundreds of shows, movies and specials.
Even get Jon Voight’s special series and President Trump’s comedy programs and much more!
Watch on your smartphone or home TV app.
Watch anytime, anywhere!
Start your now:
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.
