Trump says no agreement reached with Putin on Ukraine war during Alaska summit despite “understanding.”
Anchorage (Alaska): U.S. President Donald Trump said he and Russian President Vladimir Putin did not reach a deal to end Russia’s war in Ukraine after talks in Alaska on Friday, as the two leaders offered scant details on what was discussed but heaped praise on one another.
Putin said he and Trump had reached an “understanding” on Ukraine and warned Europe not to “torpedo the nascent progress.” But Trump said, “There’s no deal until there’s a deal” and said he plans to speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders soon.
The high-profile summit ended without an agreement to end, or even pause, the brutal conflict — the largest land war in Europe since 1945 — which has raged for more than three years.
Putin thanked Trump for the “friendly” tone of the conversation they had on Friday and said Russia and the United States should “turn the page and go back to cooperation.”
He praised Trump as someone who “has a clear idea of what he wants to achieve and sincerely cares about the prosperity of his country, and at the same time shows understanding that Russia’s has its own national interests.”
“I expect that today’s agreements will become a reference point not only for solving the Ukrainian problem, but will also mark the beginning of the restoration of businesslike, pragmatic relations between Russia and the U.S.,” Putin said.
Trump said there are “just a very few” issues to resolve concerning the war in Ukraine, without providing any sense of what those issues might be.
“Some are not that significant,” Trump said. “One is probably the most significant, but we have a very good chance of getting there. We didn’t get there, but we have a very good chance of getting there.”
The president said he’s “always had a fantastic relationship” with Putin. He referenced the U.S. government investigations into Russia’s support for his 2016 presidential campaign and repeated his claims of the U.S. economy being the “hottest” in the world.
Putin repeated Moscow’s long-held position that it is “sincerely interested in putting an end” to the war in Ukraine, but for that to happen, “all the root causes of the crisis ... must be eliminated.”
“All of Russia’s legitimate concerns must be taken into account, and a fair balance in the security sphere in Europe and the world as a whole must be restored,” Putin said.
He added that he agrees with Trump on ensuring Ukraine’s security and said Moscow was “ready to work on this,” without offering details.
“I would like to hope that the understanding we have reached will allow us to get closer to that goal and open the way to peace in Ukraine,” Putin said, without elaborating on what the understanding was.
“We hope that Kyiv and the European capitals will perceive all of this in a constructive manner and will not create any obstacles or attempt to disrupt the nascent progress through provocation or behind-the-scenes intrigue,” the Russia leader added.
Trump has spoken repeatedly in recent days about wanting to have a second meeting after the Alaska summit.
As they wrapped their statements after the summit, Putin said to Trump in English, “Next time in Moscow.” Trump responded, “I could see it possibly happening.”
Neither leader announced that a second meeting would be held before they left the room without answering questions from reporters.
After their nearly three-hour-long meeting, neither Trump nor Putin took questions from reporters after giving brief remarks. Putin said the two leaders had reached an “understanding,” but neither offered further details.
The U.S. president also said he would call European and NATO leaders to give them updates from his meeting with Putin.
Trump said “some great progress” was made in his bilateral meeting with the Russian president, saying “many points were agreed to,” with just a “very few” remaining.
Zelenskyy was not invited to the Alaska summit.
Trump has long claimed that Putin would never have invaded Ukraine if he had still be in the White House — and the Russian leader confirmed that argument at a news conference after their meeting.
Putin criticized former President Joe Biden without naming him and referenced Trump’s argument about his presence being sufficient to stop the war. “I can confirm that,” Putin said through a translator.
Speaking in Russian, the president said he had greeted Trump as “dear neighbor,” thankful to see him in good health. Putin also said he and Trump “have very good, direct contact.”
As Putin spoke, Trump stood about 6 or 7 feet (1.8 or 2.1 meters) away from him, at his own podium.
Putin said the U.S. and Russia are close neighbors, separated by mere miles, so it made sense for the summit to be held in Alaska.
He said the talks were held “in a constructive and mutually respectful atmosphere,” and were “very thorough and useful.”
Trump and Putin have ended their three-on-three talk after about 2 1/2 hours. They met behind closed doors with top advisers.
A top aide to Trump says the president, Putin and their aides are still meeting.
The aide, Dan Scavino, said Trump, Rubio and Witkoff are still behind closed doors with Putin and the Russian delegation. The meeting began around 3.30 pm ET (1.00 am IST).
The Kremlin shared two clips of Putin and Trump smiling and talking before the two world leaders began their sit-down meeting in Alaska, alongside Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Putin’s foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov.
Russian media outlets also shared images that appeared to show a bemused Putin raising his eyebrows in response to shouted questions from assembled reporters. At one point, Putin cupped his hands around his mouth and appeared to say something, although his voice could not be heard.
While Trump was meeting privately with his top aides and Putin, his political team sent out a fundraising email that said, “I’m meeting with Putin in Alaska!”
“It’s a little chilly,” the fundraising pitch said. “THIS MEETING IS VERY HIGH STAKES for the world.”
It also said, “No one in the world knows how to make deals like me!” and encouraged people to donate, suggesting they start with $10.
The two leaders were seated in a room with their aides in front of a blue backdrop that had the words “Pursuing Peace” printed on it.
Trump and Putin were seated in the middle of the chair arranged in a horseshoe, with a small table between them with drinking glasses and paper.
They didn’t take any questions but Trump said, “Thank you” to reporters who were briefly in the room.
The two leaders’ motorcade made the short drive to a building on the base where they’re expected to meet and hold a news conference later.
Trump greeted Putin at an air base in Alaska on Friday as a squadron of U.S. stealth military planes designed during the Cold War in part for use in a possible conflict with the Soviet Union flew overhead.
As Trump and Putin shook hands at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson outside Anchorage, F-22s and B2 bombers soared above. Neither plane entered active service until after the Cold War had ended but their design and development began during the 1970s and 1980s when the U.S.-Soviet rivalry was at its height.
The presence of the planes during the red carpet welcome afforded to Putin by summit host Trump may have been intended to remind the Russian leader of U.S. military might as the pair head in to talks focused on Russia’s war with Ukraine.
Both leaders stood alongside each other, shaking hands again, appearing to exchange words and ignoring shouted questions from reporters on site.
The two men shook hands and smiled warmly as they greeted each other on the tarmac at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson.
Russian state news agencies Tass and RIA Novosti reported Friday that Putin will use Aurus, a high-end Russian-made limousine, in Alaska.
The agencies posted footage of a black limousine with Russian license plates and a small Russian flag attached to the hood driving around the tarmac.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed, during a video address on Friday, his hope for a “strong position from the U.S.” ahead of talks between Trump and Putin in Alaska.
“Everyone wants an honest end to the war. Ukraine is ready to work as productively as possible to end the war, and we hope for a strong position from the U.S.,” Zelenskyy said.
The Ukrainian leader also stressed that Russia “is still killing people” despite the upcoming negotiations.
“The war continues and it continues precisely because there is no order, nor any signals from Moscow that it is preparing to end this war,” he added.
AP
Published: 16 Aug 2025, 06:25 am IST
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