August 15, this year, has special significance for multiple reasons. It is, firstly, the Indian Independence Day. With escalating controversy over the Election Commission’s Bihar vote revision, Prime Minister Narendra Modi would get an opportunity to address the nation and shift the focus back to his agenda.

But also, that day an important summit takes place in Alaska, between the leaders of the US and Russia. Pakistan celebrates its Independence Day a day earlier, when, significantly, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf party (PTI) is launching protests over the continued detention of their leader and former prime minister, Imran Khan.

First, the Alaska summit. Hardly anybody is predicting a successful outcome. US President Donald Trump himself has lowered expectations, saying he is meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin to assess his mind. US analysts worry that past experiences show Putin having outplayed his American counterpart during their encounters.

During President Trump’s first term, the two leaders met six times, compared to a solitary meeting between his successor, president Joe Biden, and the Russian leader.

Members of the European Union (EU) have been voicing concern that any deal, in the absence of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, will be wrong and unimplementable. A video conference between the EU, President Zelensky and the US has been arranged immediately prior to the Alaska Summit to make that point.

The Summit holds........

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