At the highly anticipated U.S.–Russia summit in Alaska, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov made headlines before the talks even began. He arrived wearing a sweatshirt emblazoned with “CCCP” (USSR) — a bold political statement that many observers interpreted as a sign of Moscow’s continuing Soviet nostalgia. The gesture was far from accidental, with analysts noting it was meant to send a symbolic message to both Ukraine and Western powers.

Adding to the theatrics, journalists traveling on the Russian delegation’s plane were served “Chicken Kyiv”, a dish with strong Ukrainian identity, further fueling speculation that the Kremlin was deliberately trolling the West. Former European leaders criticized the move as “provocative political theatre,” while social media buzzed with debate over Russia’s real intentions. The Alaska summit, held in a location once under Russian control, thus began under a cloud of symbolism, power play, and geopolitical tension.