Fri Aug 15 17:05:05 UTC 2025: Here’s a summary and a news article version based on the provided text:
**Summary:**
A senior Russian academic, Nikolai Plotnikov, reveals details of back-channel negotiations between Russia and the US that continued even before Donald Trump’s return to the presidency. He highlights the ongoing dialogue facilitated by special representatives and expert-level contacts. Plotnikov emphasizes that the recent summit in Alaska between Trump and Putin extends beyond the Ukraine crisis, causing concern in Europe. He asserts that Ukraine forfeited its independence in 2014 and therefore was excluded from the summit. He believes a consensus between the US and Russia would positively impact global conflict zones, including the India-Pakistan region.
**News Article:**
**Trump-Putin Summit Sparks Hope and Anxiety: Back-Channel Ties Revealed**
**NEW DELHI, August 15, 2025 (The Hindu) –** The recent summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska is sending ripples of both hope and anxiety across the globe, according to a leading Russian academic. Nikolai Plotnikov, Head of the Center for Scientific and Analytical Information of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, revealed details of previously undisclosed back-channel communications between the two nations that persisted even before Trump’s second term.
In an exclusive interview with *The Hindu*, Plotnikov stated that these channels, involving foreign policy departments, special services, and special representatives such as Kirill Dmitriev and Steve Witkoff, were instrumental in maintaining dialogue despite formal breakdowns in communication following the 2022 Ukraine crisis.
The Alaska summit, the first top-level meeting in years, was met with opposition from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who demanded Ukraine’s inclusion in any discussions concerning its future. However, Plotnikov argued that Ukraine forfeited its independence in 2014 and therefore lacked the “legal rights” to participate.
Plotnikov believes the summit signals a shift in global power dynamics, causing “panic” in Europe, which he accuses of miscalculating its “blitzkrieg” of sanctions against Russia. “Judging by the plentiful statements coming out of various European capitals (except perhaps for Hungary and Slovakia), Europe is panicking. With his decision to meet President Putin, Donald Trump revealed who is really in charge,” he said.
Beyond Ukraine, Plotnikov expressed optimism that a U.S.-Russia consensus could positively impact conflict zones worldwide, including the Armenia-Azerbaijan region and the historically volatile India-Pakistan border. “If the two world powers and leading members of the nuclear club find common ground in resolving existing issues, everyone will benefit,” Plotnikov said.
The summit and the revelation of ongoing back-channel communications are certain to fuel further debate and scrutiny of the evolving relationship between the U.S. and Russia and its impact on the global stage.
First Piper 