- Russian officials engaged in symbolic gestures, including serving "chicken Kyiv" to journalists and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov wearing a USSR sweatshirt, ahead of a summit with Donald Trump in Alaska.
- The "chicken Kyiv" gesture was interpreted by some Russian media as a positive sign for negotiations, while a pro-Putin commentator suggested it symbolised Russian military action against Ukraine.
- Lavrov's choice of attire, a sweatshirt bearing the Russian abbreviation for USSR, was seen by analysts as a deliberate signal referencing Russia's imperial past and Vladimir Putin's alleged ambition to restore Soviet influence.
- Observers and social media users widely viewed these actions as "mind games" and a form of "state-level trolling" by Russia, intended to mock the US, Europe, and Ukraine.
- The summit marks the first in-person meeting between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin since 2018, with Trump aiming to secure a ceasefire deal.
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