The much-anticipated summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin on Friday opened with a warm welcome in Alaska but closed without a breakthrough, as both leaders admitted they had failed to secure an agreement to end the war in Ukraine.
The talks, held at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, lasted around two and a half hours. A joint press appearance followed, though neither Trump nor Putin took questions.
“We had an extremely productive meeting and many points were agreed to, there are just a very few that are left,” Trump told reporters, AP reported. “We didn’t get there, but we have a very good chance of getting there,” American president added.
Putin, who has been largely isolated by the West since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, thanked Trump for hosting him and even suggested, half in jest, that their next encounter could take place in Moscow.
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Here are key takeaways from Trump, Putin meet:
A warm welcome underscoring ties
The Russian leader received a red carpet reception and even travelled with Trump in the US president’s limousine from the tarmac to the venue. Both were joined by senior aides, including Secretary of State and national security adviser Marco Rubio for Trump, and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov alongside national security adviser Yuri Ushakov for Putin.
Putin highlighted the “historical relationship” between Moscow and Washington, recalling World War II missions, and remarked that Trump had often said the Ukraine war would not have occurred had he been re-elected in 2020. “I think that would have been the case,” Putin said, in comments certain to resonate with Trump.
Trump claims headway but no deal
Trump had hoped to secure either a ceasefire or at least a pledge from Russia to engage in negotiations. Instead, he acknowledged that “we haven’t quite got there” and vowed to consult Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and NATO leaders on the path forward.
“I believe we had a very productive meeting,” Trump said. “We haven’t quite got there, but we’ve made some headway. So, there’s no deal until there’s a deal.”
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Putin buoyed as time drags on
The lack of progress appeared to strengthen Putin’s hand, with Russia continuing to grind down Ukrainian defences more than three years into the conflict. Putin left Alaska with a positive reception on US soil, despite offering no clarity on whether a ceasefire was closer or what steps might follow.
He praised Trump for the “friendly” tone of the meeting and for “understanding that Russia has its own national interests.” Putin also urged both sides to “turn the page,” insisting relations had fallen to their lowest point since the Cold War.
His appearance in the United States–his first in a decade–was celebrated in Moscow as proof Russia was no longer isolated. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova wrote on social media that Western media were on the verge of “losing their minds,” adding: “For three years, they talked about Russia’s isolation, and today they saw the red carpet being rolled out to greet the Russian president in the United States.”
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No questions, no clear outcomes
Despite billing the event as a summit, the post-meeting news conference lasted under 15 minutes and revealed little progress. Trump, who has made a habit of avoiding questions in front of world leaders, abruptly ended the appearance without elaborating further.
Ahead of the talks, Trump had rated the chances of failure at 25 per cent and described it as a “feel-out meeting,” even floating the possibility of a future three-way session with Zelenskyy in Alaska. What happens next remains unclear.
(With inputs from AP)
