Yes, it has been a “historic” several weeks. I was struggling to come up with an appropriate title for this article, and it was not easy. The world has entered a very exciting period of history, and in some ways it is simply the outcome, the natural outcome, of America's trajectory. My friend Charles A. Kupchan, who understands very well the world as I do, bolstered my arguments, even though he made a minor adjustment.

“The Trump-Putin summit in Anchorage, Alaska, took place on August 15, 2025. The meeting, which lasted for nearly three hours, did not result in a ceasefire agreement or a resolution to the war in Ukraine, according to NBC News.”

This is really not an accurate statement, not really. Yes, the much-publicized goal of the summit – a cease fire in Ukraine – with Russia, hosted by the United States in Anchorage, Alaska, was not achieved – not yet. But in fact I know that this was not the real goal of the summit. The real goal was to begin to establish an entente – America and Russia would join together in an informal relation, establishing “strategic cooperation” and yes a “strategic partnership.” I emphasize that it will be entirely informal. No need for any kind of treaty or written agreement. No “contract” or promises, written or oral. No need for that.

As many in the world are now recognizing, I am the architect of this new policy. The entente is happening because of me, as I state in the title of this important and historic article. Henry Kissinger would be impressed and very pleased. My friend Frank Wisner II (1938-2025) would be so pleased, also impressed. I speculate that Kissinger figured I could pull it off, and he was right. Actually, I had no doubt in my mind that I would do it. Charles Kupchan has a formidable intellect, and I am grateful to him for assisting me, giving the thing a final push. I also thank my friend Daryl Kimball, the executive director of the Arms Control Association in Washington DC, for also giving this thing the needed push. Great friends of mine, very dedicated to their work, with very noble aspirations. I should also thank Donald Trump for recognizing that he is going to be going down in history as a pivotal political figure. He's going to get the recognition he so craves.

It was 1 year ago that I was dying of cancer – lymphoma. This is what everyone now knows, I am assuming. They have to be amazed, even shocked. My doctors and nurses here in Santa Rosa saved my life, and I am very grateful to them. Nearly dying did consolidate my thinking about things, to be honest. I knew I had work to do, important work, so I did not really think I would die – but I was prepared to die, if it happened. Actually, I realized that I was not scared of death. In fact, nothing really scares me. It's hard to believe, but it's true.

If Vladimir Putin looked like he was in charge in Anchorage, then you are right, he was. Putin has a pretty impressive intellect, and he and I are understanding what will happen and what needs to happen. To say that I “educated” him is not an understatement, and I doubt he would challenge this statement. I am not putting Trump in an inferior position, I am simply arguing that Vladimir Putin and I have made the moves, the decisions. Trump is the critical player there, in Washington, he's there at the right time, and in the right place. Thank goodness.

I admit that it's not just me. Actually, what's going to happen is that people all around the world will begin realizing that this event – the entente between the United States and Russia – is the culmination of American history, America's particular and peculiar history. My friend Marc De Vos began to realize this, and I thank him for the excellent interview we recently did. He's awesome.

This is a history that I recounted to Charles [Kupchan] in my recent interview with him. Charles agreed with me, and adapted it a little to align with his own view. I will be reviewing his 3 books soon, and offering my comment in light of what is now happening. The so-called “historic” moment. I am joking around a little, but only a little. This was not something that happened because of “the vision thing” – I quote George HW Bush – but because it is the logical progression of history. This is pretty stunning, in fact. It is hugely stunning. It's awesome beyond belief.

So I was almost done with my 6 chemotherapy infusions when I called up the Embassy of Belarus in Washington DC. They knew who I was, of course. I had called them up a few times many years ago. Their ambassador, Pavel Shidlovsky, came on the phone right away. He's a young guy, he's not got ambassador-rank, he is just head of mission. So I connected with the Belarus head of state, Aleksandr Lukashenko. And by connecting with Aleksandr Lukashenko, I was connecting with Vladimir Putin. I had called the Russian Embassy, of course. But Shidlovsky is a friend, and this always helps – it is a large part of what diplomacy is.

Diplomacy is not making agreements with other nations, it is not establishing relations – it is those things of course – but it is really the work of understanding what is going on in the world and then deciding what to do. Based on this understanding. Yes, I have redefined what diplomacy is, and my friend Frank Wisner agreed with me. Frank's father, who had the same name, was a founder of the Central Intelligence Agency.

Several months ago the Russian foreign ministry [and Belarus foreign ministry] asked me to critique the Russian foreign policy. I have not been able to get this job done, and there are several reasons for this. I am recovering from cancer, and while it is all gone, I am still kind of reeling from the devastation of cancer on my body and brain. I am also dealing with the criminal forces bearing down my family, in particular my brilliant and oldest son, Christophe. And I was waiting to see what would happen in Washington. I was temporizing to some degree – deliberately. I knew Putin was thinking I was right, but he was skeptical. I think you can see that his face exuded confidence in Anchorage. He could not believe it was happening. Hilarious.

My theory would be that Lukashenko had a sense that I was right, he had confidence in me, and that he eventually persuaded Putin that I was right. I think this is probably right, but I will have to wait until these gentlemen tell me what happened, what is the truth. Whatever is the truth, it is amazing, and an amazing story, one you can and will tell your grandchildren. The Russians are waiting for my assessment and analysis of their foreign policy. I will publish that analysis of their foreign policy soon, pretty soon. I have been insanely busy, which is pretty much usually the case. The Russians will, I expect, be following my advice and direction.

The next step is of course China. This will be easier, as I have a 30+ year relation with the Chinese government. So I don't think it will be a problem. I would imagine that Putin asked Timofei Bordachev and others in Moscow what they thought. I am sure everyone was skeptical. But maybe not so much.

So the entente with Russia has been agreed.

For 2 reasons: because of me, and because it is the logical outcome, the culmination, of our history, the history of the United States of America. It is probably fair to say that no one else saw this except me. I know it's weird, but this is often the way it is.

Here is the history of the United States in 6 phases. This is what I presented to my friend Charles Kupchan, in the interview I did with him, He's of course formerly of the national security council for both Clinton and Obama.

1+ America gets it start with the colonial subjects and their extreme irritation with the monarchy in England. They aimed to create new government, better government. The foundation of this new government was to be rationality and logic and knowledge. Their irritation with monarchy is really obvious. They sought rationality, justice, and economic independence. More effective government.

2+ The second phase was all about building wealth, building one's capacity and talents. There is quite a bit of rebelliousness involved in doing this. Quite a bit.

3+ The third phase was Americans engaged in the world, the wider world, with a pretty significant strategy, a war strategy: WW1 and WW2. It was obviously risky and brutal and mistakes were made, but it was intervention and it helped the world move along in the right direction.

4+ The fourth phase then centered on achieving a balance of power in the world. This meant facing off with the formidable Soviet Union and its aspirations, thwarting those aspirations. These are of course the Cold War years.

5+ The fifth phase begins when the Cold War ends, in 1990. French foreign minister Hubert Vedrine bluntly called [in 1999] this period of American history what everybody around the world increasingly saw. America was a hyper-power, in French: hyperpuissance.

“'Hyperpuissance' is a French term meaning 'hyperpower.' It was popularized by French Foreign Minister Hubert Védrine in the late 20th century to describe the unprecedented global dominance of the United States following the end of the Cold War. The term is not intended as a compliment, reflecting a French perspective critical of how the U.S. wields its power.”

6+ Now we are in the final phase: America leads the world but accepts that the world is multilateral and multipolar. Actually, it is not that America accepts this, this is the natural course of events because the rest of the world, notably Russia and China, is beginning to emulate the United States. In fact, it is more than emulation, it is pretty serious competition. Taiwan, Israel, and Ukraine will disappear in this new world. Sovereignty is not going to survive in this new phase of history. Taiwan, Israel, and Ukraine were part of the Cold War, a function of the Cold War. They will disappear with the real end of the Cold War. America is a great power, a really huge power in the history of the world.

America is a very powerful innovator and cultural force in the world. Americans do science, engineering and technology. And they do it in an impressive and bold way.

France does this, too [but on a much smaller scale], and that's why Vedrine said what he said. But France is old Europe, and as I told my friend Marc De Vos, Europe is still a little stuck in its old ways, the ways of the old world.

Europe will come around, I predict. They will have no choice. Taiwan and Israel and Ukraine will kind of be shocked, but they will adapt to the modern world. Clinging to the old world, the world of the Cold War, is stupid and silly. But anyway they'll have no choice. To use a hackneyed expression, they will have to get with the program. Things will be fine, I predict.