The threats, pressure and ultimatums have come and gone, but Russian President Vladimir Putin has maintained Moscow’s uncompromising demands in Ukraine, raising fears he could use a planned summit with U.

None of that matters to President Donald Trump, who announced Friday night that he would meet the globally shunned leader this Friday in Alaska. What does matter to Trump is that he may be able to stop the bloodshed in Ukraine, the worst European conflict since World War II, fulfilling one of his biggest campaign promises.

The US president has created incomprehension and drawn criticism after letting an initial 10-day deadline threat for Russia to broker a ceasefire in Ukraine or face US sanctions, expire. Instead, the US president has agreed to a bilateral meeting with Putin in Alaska next Friday.