Political scientist Alexander Motyl, a professor at Rutgers University (USA), shared his opinions on Espreso TV.He commented on a statement by Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who believes that if a trilateral meeting of the U.S., Ukrainian, and Russian leaders takes place, the war could end by Christmas.“Graham is a serious person. He doesn’t speak lightly or spontaneously. If Trump had said something like this, I would agree with you that it’s just another example of his latest foolishness or wishful thinking. Graham, however, is more serious. He speaks reasonably and knows what he’s talking about,” he said.Motyl emphasized that ultimately everything depends on Trump and, to some extent, on Putin.“If Trump wanted to pressure Putin, if he truly imposed these sanctions, if he really helped Ukraine massively, if he genuinely threatened Putin and Russia with various measures, then Putin might agree to something. Whether it would be a full peace deal or a ceasefire, who knows. If Trump wanted it, and together with the Europeans he could pressure Putin, he could seriously pressure him. So everything depends on Trump,” the political scientist said.He believes the discussion is more about a Nobel Peace Prize for Trump than actual peace.“And maybe Graham isn’t really speaking to me or you, but rather to Trump himself, saying, ‘If you want, you could end the war and win the Nobel Peace Prize by year’s end.’ He didn’t say this outright, but I think everyone understands that this is ultimately not about peace between Ukraine and Russia, but rather about a Nobel Peace Prize for Trump himself,” Motyl concluded.Trump-Putin meeting in Alaska: what we knowOn the night of August 16, Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin held a “3-on-3” summit in Anchorage, Alaska, lasting nearly three hours — their longest conversation to date. According to the U.S. leader, the meeting was “productive,” and they discussed many issues, but “they did not fully agree on everything,” so “no deal has been reached yet.”The U.S. president said he will soon hold calls with NATO representatives, including President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and others.Trump also stated that the Alaska summit nearly produced an agreement, and a meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin with his participation is now planned.“Now it’s in Zelenskyy’s hands — whether he can reach an agreement. A meeting between Zelenskyy, Putin, and myself will be organized,” Trump said.On the morning of August 16, Trump spoke by phone with his Ukrainian counterpart Zelenskyy, with several European leaders participating. During the call, Zelenskyy accepted Trump’s invitation to visit Washington this Monday, August 18.Trump stated that after talks with Putin in Alaska and discussions with Zelenskyy and EU leaders, the parties concluded that the best way to end the war is to immediately sign a peace agreement, without a temporary ceasefire.The leaders of Germany, France, Poland, Italy, and the United Kingdom, together with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, issued a joint statement following Donald Trump’s meeting with Vladimir Putin in Alaska.