U.S. President Donald Trump And Russian President Vladimir Putin's Summit In Alaska Ends Without Ukraine Peace Deal
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The highly anticipated meeting between the U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska ended without a breakthrough on resolving Russia’s war in Ukraine, though Trump maintained that “great progress” was achieved.
The three-hour closed-door talks, held Friday at a U.S. airbase in Anchorage, marked Putin’s first visit to Western soil since he launched the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, according to Al Jazeera.
The red-carpet reception and warm handshake he received from Trump stood in stark contrast to the cold treatment meted out to Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, during his visit to Washington in February.
Putin, visibly upbeat, told reporters that the meeting was “long overdue” and said he hoped the “agreement we’ve reached together will pave the path towards peace in Ukraine.”
He did not spell out what agreement had been reached.
The Russian leader also warned Kyiv and its allies not to “torpedo the nascent progress” with provocations.
Trump, echoing Putin, described the encounter as “very productive” but admitted, “We didn’t get there.” He stressed that no ceasefire or final deal had been agreed, while adding cryptically: “There are just a very few [issues] left; some are not that significant, one is probably the most significant.”
Later on Fox News, Trump advised Zelenskyy to cut a deal with Moscow, saying: “Russia is a very big power, and they’re not. They’re great soldiers… Now it’s really up to President Zelenskyy to get it done.”
He suggested he could personally attend a future Zelenskyy-Putin meeting.
International observers quickly branded the summit a diplomatic victory for Putin, noting that the Kremlin leader got exactly what he wanted: global legitimacy, more time for his war, and no concessions in return.
Al Jazeera’s Osama Bin Javaid reported from Moscow that “this was being labelled as a victory even before Putin left the tarmac,” while his colleague Kimberly Halkett, in Anchorage, described the outcome as “much ado about nothing” that ultimately helped Russia prolong its war of attrition.
James Bays, Al Jazeera’s diplomatic editor, said European allies who had demanded a ceasefire would see the meeting as “a big win for President Putin.”
Ukraine’s opposition lawmaker, Oleksiy Honcharenko, reacted on Telegram: “It seems Putin has bought himself more time. No ceasefire or de-escalation has been agreed upon.”
Despite disappointment, some Western analysts said Kyiv may at least be relieved that Trump did not unilaterally endorse a land swap or territorial concession. “That was the worst-case scenario,” Melinda Haring of the Atlantic Council told Al Jazeera.
Still, questions remain about Trump’s willingness to sideline Kyiv and NATO partners in pursuit of a personal rapport with Putin. The U.S. president ended the joint appearance by thanking Putin and hinting at another meeting “very soon.”
Putin replied with a quick invitation: “Next time, in Moscow.”
Trump, smiling, said he “might get a little heat on that one” but did not rule it out.
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