13:44 13-08-2025

FT: U.S. Lacks Russia Experts Before Alaska Summit with Putin

By The White House from Washington, DC - President Trump at the G20, Public Domain, Link

Financial Times says Trump’s administration has almost no Russia experts left ahead of the Alaska summit with Putin, after cuts removed career diplomats and advisers.

The Financial Times reports that the U.S. president’s administration has been left with almost no Russia specialists ahead of planned negotiations with Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

According to the paper, during his second term, Donald Trump prioritized staff loyalty over professional expertise, leading to large-scale cuts in the government apparatus. Former U.S. ambassador to Bulgaria Eric Rubin was quoted as saying that Trump has no political figures in his team who understand Russia and Ukraine well enough to advise him.

The outlet recalled that preliminary talks with Moscow had been assigned to Steve Witkoff, who had no background in foreign policy. Career diplomats and subject-matter experts were excluded from the process.

The Financial Times noted particular concern over the lack of the usual preparations for the upcoming U.S.-Russia summit in Alaska. The National Security Council, which typically coordinates such high-level meetings, has been significantly reduced in size. In May, dozens of foreign policy specialists reportedly lost their positions.