 "Watch | Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov arrives for Trump-Putin summit in 'USSR' shirt")
In a mockery of efforts to end the war in Ukraine, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov arrived in Alaska wearing a shirt with ‘USSR’ written on it.
Ukraine is a former republic of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR, generally called the Soviet Union) that became independent in 1991. Russia is the successor state of Soviet Union that was made up of 15 republics — including Russia.
A video of Lavrov arriving in Alaska has appeared in the media and observers were quick to notice ‘CCCP’ printed in bold and large letters on his shirt. The ‘CCCP’ in Russian means ‘USSR’. Lavrov has arrived ahead of his boss, Vladimir Putin, in Alaska.
US President Donald Trump will hold a summit with Putin in Alaska’s Anchorage on Friday. The Russian war in Ukraine will be on the top of their agenda.
Lavrov showed up in Alaska wearing a USSR sweatshirt. Very reassuring to at least 14 of Russia’s neighbors. pic.twitter.com/zwalshPWaC
— Yaroslav Trofimov (@yarotrof) August 15, 2025
However, Lavrov’s symbolism has made it clear that Russia does not have any intention to reach a genuine peace deal. Instead, it reinforces his desire to restore the Soviet Union and is bound to make former Soviet republics uneasy.
For decades, Putin has lamented the collapse of the Soviet Union and his expansionist agenda, which includes wars in Georgia and Ukraine, are part of his mission to restore the Soviet Union as the Russian empire. Lavrov’s ‘USSR’ shirt asserts this expansionist ideology and the message has not been lost on anyone who know Putin’s commitment to the restoration of the Russian empire.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsALSO READ — Ukraine and beyond: 25 years on, Putin is still fighting Cold War
Putin has long rejected Ukraine’s nationhood and considers it a part of Russia. That is also seen in the terms that he has proposed to end the war. The acceptance of those terms will essentially destroy Ukraine’s identity as a sovereign nation.
Putin’s campaign against former Soviet Republics
Since the 1990s, Putin has led a campaign against former Soviet republics to either merge them into Russia or turn them into puppet states.
Currently, Russia or Russian proxies occupy territories of three former Soviet republics. Additionally, Putin has turned Belarus into his puppet state.
In 2008, Russia invaded Georgia and continues to occupy around a fifth of the country. In 2014, Russia invaded Ukraine’s Crimea region and occupied. Eight years later, in 2022, Russia launched the full-scale invasion of Ukraine and it currently occupies 20 per cent of the country.
In Moldova, Russian proxies have controlled the breakaway region of Transnistria since the 1990s.
In recognition of Putin’s aggressive campaign, three former Soviet republics —Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia— joined the European Union (EU) and Nato in 2004. Here is the list of former Soviet republics and their current status:
Separately, multiple eastern European nations that were Soviet satellite states have also joined the EU and Nato: Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, Romania, and Bulgaria.
 "Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?")
 "As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland")
 "Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar")
 "Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe")
 "Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?")
 "As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland")
 "Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar")
 "Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe")
