Pro-War Russian Bloggers Dread Potential Peace Talks as Humiliation Looms Over Putin-Trump Summit

Discussions between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Alaska have stirred anxiety among Russia’s most vocal pro-war bloggers. Many of them are concerned that the Kremlin might agree to a ceasefire without fulfilling its declared objectives in Ukraine.

Since the onset of the large-scale invasion, a broad network of pro-war Telegram channels has developed. While these channels maintain loyalty to Putin and the military campaign, they have frequently criticized the Ministry of Defense and the government.

These commentators, many of whom have direct connections to the frontline and large audiences, fear that a territorial exchange or an early ceasefire could not only undermine Russia’s military achievements but also jeopardize their own standing.

The choice of Alaska for the talks was met with particular disdain.

«It’s difficult to imagine a greater humiliation,» pro-Russian blogger Alexei Larkin remarked. «Not in a neutral location but in the U.S., and not even in Washington DC, but in the backcountry where rednecks and bears roam. It’s a place we once owned that we sold for a pittance and still feel uneasy about.»

Larkin cautioned that Trump may either force Russia to cease hostilities or portray its leaders as unwilling to engage in negotiations.

Other prominent figures accused Putin of potentially trading away occupied territories, thus betraying Russia’s interests.

«In exchange for the [Donetsk People’s Republic], the shameless [Putin] is reportedly ready to relinquish positions in the Sumy and Kharkiv regions, the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, the Kinburn Spit, and even Nova Kakhovka. That’s why Trump views this proposal as highly advantageous for the Ukrainians,» wrote Alex Parker Returns.

He also observed that Russian state media is already adjusting its narrative to prepare the populace for a conclusion to the conflict.

Another channel, Verum Regnum, warned that any «territorial exchange» would render the Russian Constitution meaningless.

«We hope this cannot happen under any circumstances,» Verum Regnum declared.

Some bloggers speculated that the mere existence of the summit indicated that an agreement was already in the works.

«Clearly, we’re talking about freezing the conflict along the existing front lines,» pro-war journalist Maxim Kalashnikov stated on the Roi TV channel.

«The U.S. leader has pressured our government: ‘If you wish to continue fighting, you’ll face economic, social, and political crises,'» Kalashnikov argued, asserting that the Russian military has proven to be weak and outdated, unable to secure significant victories.

Nonetheless, reactions were not solely critical. Pro-Kremlin ideologue Alexander Dugin lauded the meeting as a «grand» diplomatic success for Putin.

«To gain everything and lose nothing — only [Emperor] Alexander III could accomplish that,» Dugin stated. «There’s much more to come. However, as always, peace talks remain our greatest fear.»

Other channels pointed out that Ukrainian forces are still engaging with American weaponry and that Russian propaganda has long framed the conflict in Ukraine as a confrontation between Russia and NATO.

«The most painful reality is that all the heroes who died on the battlefield will never witness the delighted faces of our politicians in Alaska, nor learn that the U.S. is evidently not our sworn enemy wishing us doom, but rather a friend we need to negotiate peace with. They cannot be brought back,» lamented the author of the channel Call Sign OSETIN.

Many pro-war bloggers believe that Russia should not only refuse to relinquish occupied regions but also push beyond the current front lines, according to writer Ivan Filippov, who analyzes pro-Russian blogs on his Telegram channel.

«Most believe that stopping at current territorial gains will only lead to a deferred conflict, and that fighting must persist until Victory. However, the concept of ‘Victory’ varies from one individual to another,» Filippov informed The Moscow Times.

In a column for the Vot Tak media outlet, Filippov noted that pro-war bloggers have ensnared themselves in a rhetorical cycle.

“Their reasoning goes in circles every time,” Filippov wrote. “They argue that abandoning territory is unacceptable — hence, we must continue fighting. However, the war will drag on for years at the current pace. Accelerating it requires complete economic and societal mobilization, which isn’t occurring. Instead, Putin heads to Alaska to meet his esteemed partner, Donald. So, will they strike a deal? And exchange ‘Russian territories’? And… we’re back to square one.”

Even before the U.S.-Russia summit, pro-Russian Telegram channels had routinely raised concerns regarding the slow pace of progress, heavy losses, poor leadership, and insufficient financial backing from the Russian public.

Recent developments on the battlefield have barely alleviated this discontent.

Russian advances near the Ukrainian-controlled city of Pokrovsk in Donetsk last week were quickly countered by Ukrainian forces, and even pro-Kremlin media acknowledged the absence of a decisive breakthrough.

«Reports from the Pokrovsk area sound encouraging; there are some successes, but not of the kind depicted on the painted maps. Additional Ukrainian troops are being redeployed there, and they continually reinforce their positions,» wrote the channel DONTSTOPWAR.

“Nothing fundamentally new occurred. The war persists like a bloody grind,” Kalashnikov commented on the Roi TV channel. “No matter how intricately you twist the diplomacy, nothing will compensate for the lost opportunities of 2014 and 2022.”

At the same time, bloggers express concerns that they, too, could soon face increased censorship and repression at home.

Military volunteer Roman Alekhin mocked a new law prohibiting web searches for “extremist” content as an Orwellian restriction on «freedom of thought itself.»

Others point to the imprisonment or silencing of figures like Igor Girkin — a former separatist commander sentenced for his criticism of the war effort — as evidence that the Kremlin may soon target them as well, deeming them “unnecessary” and “excessively active patriots.”

A blogger known as Trinadtsatiy (“The Thirteenth”), who fought in Ukraine and occasionally criticized the Russian authorities, vanished after claiming on August 5 that “armed men” were in search of him.

“If I go offline, don’t be surprised. That’s the reality,” he stated.

Meanwhile, Girkin associate Pavel Gubarev — who fought in Donbas in 2015 and later participated in the full-scale invasion of Ukraine — has also scaled back his activities after being known for his criticisms of the Kremlin.

“Anyone inconvenient will be purged,” warned blogger and former police investigator Kirill Kichur. “The Kremlin isn’t afraid of liberal voices. They fear those with weapons and a patriotic following.”

Filippov remarked that as long as the conflict continues, authorities are unlikely to completely dismantle the pro-war blogger network, which also plays a crucial role in providing logistical and fundraising support to the military.

However, once the conflict ends, he predicts that most of these channels will be shut down.

«The Russian authorities cannot tolerate grassroots self-organization, particularly among those who supply military assets and communicate directly with armed individuals,» he explained to The Moscow Times. «That’s why I believe they will likely initiate a preemptive purge.»