Demand Strong U.S. Commitment to Ukraine at the Alaska Summit: No Sanctions Relief Without Russian Concessions

The upcoming Alaska summit between President Trump and President Putin comes at a critical juncture. Russia's war against Ukraine continues to devastate communities, with July 2025 seeing the highest civilian casualties since May 2022, according to the United Nations. The Kremlin is seeking economic relief through sanctions relief and bilateral deals, aiming to distract from its ongoing aggression and avoid meaningful negotiations with Ukraine.

Western sanctions have proven effective in weakening Russia's war economy, as evidenced by falling oil revenues, a record budget deficit, and mounting pressure on Russian banks. Yet, the Russian delegation to Alaska is stacked with economic officials, signaling their intent to shift the summit's focus away from Ukraine and toward economic rapprochement with the U.S.

Granting sanctions relief or new economic cooperation without binding Russian concessions would undermine the leverage that has pressured Russia to the negotiating table. It would embolden further violations of international law and betray the Ukrainian people, who continue to suffer from indiscriminate bombings, drone strikes, and occupation.

We call on President Trump and the U.S. government to:

• Refuse any sanctions relief or economic deals with Russia unless there are verifiable, reciprocal steps toward a just peace in Ukraine.
• Insist on Russia's full withdrawal from occupied Ukrainian territories as a precondition for any economic normalization.
• Demand accountability for Russian war crimes and violations of international law, including attacks on civilians and the use of banned weapons.
• Continue robust support for Ukraine, including military, economic, and humanitarian aid, and coordination with European partners for long-term security guarantees.
• Reject any attempts by Russia to use arms control talks or manufactured crises as leverage to extract concessions unrelated to Ukraine.

The U.S. must not trade away Ukraine's future or the principles of international law for short-term economic interests. Stand with Ukraine. Hold the line at the Alaska summit.