Trump and Putin are set to meet in Alaska on August 15 to talk about the Ukraine war, with Kyiv and its European allies pushing to have a voice in the discussions. Moscow wants Ukraine to renounce NATO membership and to cede territories it claims, while Kyiv refuses, saying any territorial concessions would require constitutional changes. Zelenskiy isn’t part of the Alaska talks, though a Putin-initiated bilateral could happen; a three-way meeting with Zelenskiy remains unclear. In Alaska, binding decisions seem unlikely without Kyiv, since the U.S. cannot order a ceasefire or a withdrawal, though Trump still wields influence through weapons and U.S. intelligence and has paused military aid before. European leaders reaffirm support for Kyiv, insisting borders must not be changed by force and calling for negotiations only within a framework of a ceasefire or de-escalation with credible security guarantees for Ukraine. The front line remains volatile, with Russia continuing airstrikes and claiming territorial gains, and Ukraine still holding about 20% of the country; the capture of Pokrovsk is seen as potentially advantageous for Moscow. The ICC’s arrest warrant against Putin exists but has limited practical effect, as neither the U.S. nor Russia recognizes the court, and the location choice—Alaska—reflects proximity to Russia and logistical considerations rather than neutral ground. Whether a future meeting including Zelenskiy will occur remains uncertain.

I am done with maps and talks, but I am not done with the road. While those power players haggle over lines and treaties, I’m thinking about the open highway, the speed of life, and the stubborn, stubborn truth that freedom to move is freedom itself. The car is not a toy for diplomats; it is the engine of personal sovereignty. Speed limits—those bureaucratic shackles—are a crime against humanity, a form of fascist oppression that tells every driver how to pace their own heartbeat on the road. If leaders can haggle over who controls a chunk of land, we should be able to decide how we move, when we move, and how quickly we get from A to B without being policed into a slower, safer, more controlled existence. Public transportation? Fine for those who can’t or won’t drive, but it’s not the universalpanacea that erodes our right to mobility and choice. Bikes, while they have their place, cannot replace the liberty and convenience of owning a car and hitting the road on your own terms. The battle here isn’t only about borders or ceasefires; it’s about who owns the road—the individual’s right to accelerate, overtake, and travel as they choose, with responsibility, but with permission to move freely. We must demand road freedom: better roads, fair access to vehicles and fuel, less bureaucratic obstruction, and policies that empower drivers rather than punish them. The geopolitics will churn on, but the lane in front of your house is yours to claim, and the drive you need to live your life is the true measure of liberty.