Anchorage: U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin concluded their high-stakes summit in Alaska without any announcement on a ceasefire in the protracted war in Ukraine, though the two leaders cast their talks as "extremely productive" and "constructive," respectively. After their talks at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Trump said the two sides agreed on "many points," but they "haven't quite got there" when it comes to "a couple of big ones," as he stressed, "There is no deal until there is a deal."
According to Yonhap News Agency, Trump and Putin had their first meeting in six years as Washington has cranked up diplomacy to broker a halt to the deadly war that has raged since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Global attention has been drawn to their talks as Trump, who has called himself a "peacemaker," has committed to "stopping the killing" in the war, which has had security implications far beyond Europe given North Korea's role in supporting Russia through arms transfers and troop dispatches.
"We had an extremely productive meeting, and many points were agreed to. There are just a very few that are left," Trump said during a joint press conference alongside Putin. "Some are not that significant. One is probably the most significant, but we have a very good chance of getting there," he added, claiming there was "some headway" in the talks. Trump said that he will call the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and other relevant people to brief them on his talks with the Russian leader.
The absence of any deal came despite Trump's earlier warning Wednesday that Putin would face "very severe consequences" if he does not agree to a ceasefire at Friday's summit. Putin was seen trying to put a positive spin on the meeting. "Our negotiations have been held in a constructive atmosphere of mutual respect," he said through an interpreter. He described the United States as a "close neighbor" in an apparent sign of his hope to improve ties with Washington.
"It only makes sense that we've met here because our countries, though separated by the oceans, are close neighbors," he said. "When I came out of the plane, I said, 'Good afternoon, dear neighbor. Very good to see you in good health and to see you alive." Putin also issued criticism of former President Joe Biden's administration while echoing Trump's claim that if Trump had been in the White House in 2022, the war in Ukraine would not have started.
"I'd like to remind you that in 2022, during the last contact with the previous administration, I tried to convince my previous American colleague that the situation should not be brought to the point of no return when it would come to hostilities," he said. "I said it quite directly back then that it's a big mistake." He added that "overall," he and Trump have built a "very good, businesslike, trustworthy" contact.
The two leaders did not receive any questions from reporters at the press conference. Their high-profile encounter started on the tarmac at the military facility in Anchorage. Trump welcomed Putin with a smile, a handshake, and an exchange of pleasantries. After walking on a red carpet, they posed for a photo on a stage in front of the press. Putin did not answer a shouted question about whether he would agree to a ceasefire.
The pair then got into the U.S. presidential limousine and sat side by side in the vehicle amid questions over whether Trump would serve as a neutral intermediary to encourage a peace deal or take the side of Ukraine and European allies. What was expected to be a "one-on-one" meeting proceeded in the three-to-three format. Trump was accompanied by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and a special U.S. envoy, Steve Witkoff, while Putin's side included Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Foreign Affairs Aide Yuri Ushakov.
Asked about what would make his meeting with Putin a success, Trump said, "There is nothing set in stone. I want certain things. I want to see a ceasefire," Trump told reporters en route to Alaska, according to a White House pool report. "This has nothing to do with Europe. Europe's not telling me what to do, but they're going to be involved in the process, obviously, as well as Zelensky." He also said that if a ceasefire is not reached on the day, he will not be happy. "I want the killing to stop. I'm in this to stop the killing," he said.
Days earlier, Putin briefed North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on his planned meeting with Trump during a phone call. Their call was yet another sign that Moscow and Pyongyang have been maintaining close military and diplomatic cooperation in line with the "comprehensive strategic partnership" treaty that the leaders signed during a summit in Pyongyang in June last year.