Kuala Lampur, Aug. 12 -- On August 15, US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet in Alaska to discuss ending the war in Ukraine.

The announcement alone has injected new urgency - and uncertainty - into a conflict that has not only ravaged Ukraine but also strained the very principles of the international order.

What makes this meeting "make or break" is not just the prospect of peace but the terms under which it might be achieved.

According to credible reports, Russia's conditions would "lock in" its occupation of territories seized since the February 2022 invasion.

The Kremlin's proposal reportedly demands Ukraine's withdrawal from areas in Luhansk and Donetsk that Kyiv still controls.

In other words, ...