On Friday, US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks in Alaska. Following the nearly three-hour summit, both leaders described the meeting as “very productive” but admitted they had failed to reach an agreement to end the war in Ukraine.
At a joint press conference, Trump said, “There were many, many points that we agreed on,” but acknowledged, “a couple of big ones that we haven’t quite got there.” He added, “So there’s no deal until there’s a deal,” and stated that while they hadn’t yet reached an agreement on “probably the most significant” aspect of the meeting, there was a “very good chance of getting there.”
Earlier, Putin expressed hope that the agreements reached at the summit could serve as a launchpad for settling the Ukraine conflict and restoring ties between Russia and the US. He also praised what he called the US’s “sincere efforts” to end the war.
Following the meeting, Putin stated that the two sides had discussed topics that could improve bilateral relations, such as trade, energy, and Arctic issues. He also indicated his desire to meet with Trump again, saying in English, “Next time in Moscow.”
Both leaders did not take questions from reporters during their joint press conference.
Concerns from Ukraine and Europe
Ukrainian and European officials had feared that Trump might betray Ukraine. However, Trump had previously reassured European leaders in a conference call on Wednesday that Ukraine must be involved in any talks about ceding land. Zelenskyy said Trump also supported the idea of security guarantees in a post-war settlement, although the US president has not publicly mentioned them.
Zelenskyy has accused Putin of “bluffing” and playing for time. The Ukrainian president has ruled out formally handing Moscow any territory, stating that it would be unconstitutional and would provide Russia with a foothold for future invasions.
Trump said on Friday that he would call Zelenskyy and NATO leaders to update them on the Alaska talks. A Ukrainian opposition lawmaker, Oleksiy Honcharenko, said on Telegram that “it seems Putin has bought himself more time. No ceasefire or de-escalation has been agreed upon.” Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky welcomed Trump’s efforts but doubted Putin’s sincerity.
Russian Demands and the State of the Conflict
Putin has set stringent conditions for peace. His primary goal is to gain full control of the Donbas industrial region in eastern Ukraine. While his forces control nearly one-fifth of Ukraine, roughly 25% of the Donetsk region remains under Ukrainian control. Putin also wants to take NATO membership off the table for Ukraine and limit the size of its armed forces. Ukraine has deemed these terms unacceptable.
The war continued unabated during the talks. Eastern Ukrainian regions were under air raid alerts, and Russia claimed that Ukrainian drones had attacked its Rostov and Bryansk regions.
