President Donald Trump said he and Vladimir Putin did not reach an agreement to end Russia’s war in Ukraine after meeting on Friday, despite Putin stating they had come to “an understanding,” as both leaders offered few details while exchanging praise.
Speaking briefly after their roughly two-and-a-half-hour meeting in Alaska, Putin said the two had reached an “understanding” on Ukraine and cautioned Europe not to “torpedo the nascent progress.”
Trump responded by saying, “There’s no deal until there’s a deal,” adding that he intended to speak soon with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders to update them on the talks.
“We had an extremely productive meeting, and many points were agreed to,” Trump said. “And there are just a very few that are left. Some are not that significant. One is probably the most significant, but we have a very good chance of getting there.” He added, “We didn’t get there.”
The summit concluded without an agreement to end or pause the war, the largest land conflict in Europe since 1945, which has continued for more than three years.
Putin was greeted with a red carpet at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, where he met Trump with a handshake and a smile. The Russian leader rode in the presidential limousine, an uncommon courtesy for a U.S. adversary.
While still on the tarmac, reporters called out, “President Putin, will you stop killing civilians?” Putin gestured with his hand to his ear as if he could not hear them. He and Trump then traveled together in “The Beast” to the meeting location, with Putin smiling as the vehicle passed cameras.
Zelenskyy and European leaders were not included in the talks. Ukraine’s president later released a video address expressing hope for a “strong position from the U.S.”
“Everyone wants an honest end to the war. Ukraine is ready to work as productively as possible to end the war,” Zelenskyy said. “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.”
Trump had alternated between calling the summit a “feel-out meeting” and warning of “very severe consequences” for Russia if it refused to end the war. Before taking office, he claimed he could stop the conflict in 24 hours, later describing the remark as a joke.
The face-to-face meeting offered his best chance so far to halt the fighting, but it ended without success.
