US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin have concluded their much-anticipated summit in Alaska without securing a ceasefire in Ukraine, leaving both supporters and critics uncertain about the tangible outcomes of the meeting.
The leaders met for over two hours at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage in what Trump called “an extremely productive” exchange, claiming “many points” had been agreed. However, he conceded that a handful of significant issues remained unresolved.
“There’s no deal until there’s a deal,” Trump said, adding that he would brief NATO leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy about the talks.
“We’ve made some headway, but we haven’t quite got there.”
Putin, in contrast, spoke of an “agreement” that he argued could pave the way towards resolving the Ukraine conflict and re-establishing “businesslike and pragmatic” relations between Washington and Moscow. Without detailing the specifics, he said the talks were held in a “constructive” atmosphere of mutual respect and thanked Trump for his “trustworthy” tone.
In a closing exchange that drew instant media attention, Putin suggested their next meeting be held in Moscow. Trump quipped that he “could see it possibly happening” despite the political backlash such a trip would inevitably generate.
The day began with a striking show of camaraderie. But the warm optics were not matched by a concrete announcement. The post-summit press conference lasted barely 10 minutes and ended abruptly without questions, fuelling speculation that the meeting had fallen short of its goals.
Observers had expected at least a temporary ceasefire or a commitment to a follow-up meeting involving Ukraine, but none materialised. Trump said he hoped to “set the table” for a broader agreement, potentially including President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at a future gathering.
Zelenskyy himself, excluded from the summit, released a video address urging the US to maintain a strong stance and reiterating Ukraine’s willingness to work towards ending the war.
“The war continues precisely because there is no signal from Moscow that it is ready to end it.”
During his remarks, Trump revisited the “Russia, Russia, Russia hoax” — his term for investigations into alleged ties between his 2016 campaign and Moscow. He claimed the probe had made it “tougher” to engage with Putin during his first term but insisted the two leaders had maintained a “fantastic relationship.”
The Alaska summit was the first Russia–US leaders’ meeting in four years, after relations plunged to their lowest point since the Cold War.
Putin again linked any peace deal to resolving what he called the “primary causes” of the war, including halting Ukraine’s NATO ambitions — a demand Kyiv and its Western allies firmly reject. He offered no public concession on occupied Ukrainian territories.
Trump acknowledged earlier in the week that there was “a 25 per cent chance” the summit could fail but suggested a successful outcome might lead to a three-way meeting with Zelenskyy. He hinted that the US could offer Ukraine security guarantees “alongside European powers, but not in the form of NATO.
The lack of a ceasefire announcement and the vagueness surrounding any “agreement” leave the future of peace talks uncertain.
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