Hopes were high when U.S. President Donald Trump welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin to Alaska on Friday. There were flyovers, red carpets, even a ride together in Trump’s armored limousine.
But after more than two hours of talks, the much anticipated summit ended without the deal many had been waiting for a plan to stop the war in Ukraine.
“We haven’t quite got there, but we’ve made some headway,” Trump admitted, standing alongside Putin at a short press conference that lasted less than 15 minutes. “So, there’s no deal until there’s a deal.”, he added.
The stakes could not be higher. The war in Ukraine has dragged on for more than three years, costing thousands of lives and forcing millions from their homes. Many Ukrainians were listening closely for signs of a ceasefire. Instead, they heard only vague assurances that “progress” had been made.
Putin, who was welcomed on U.S. soil for the first time in a decade, praised the “friendly” tone of the talks. He said Trump understood that “Russia has its own national interests,” but offered no hint of compromise. The Russian leader even mentioned that their next meeting might be in Moscow.
Trump, who had entered the meeting hoping for at least a commitment to peace talks, came away empty-handed.
He did, however, float the idea of arranging a future three-way meeting with Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, though no details were given.
Later that night, in an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity, Trump said he would hold off on imposing tariffs on China for buying Russian oil, citing “progress” in his discussions with Putin. India, however, still faces steep U.S. tariffs on its imports.
For Putin, the trip was a symbolic victory. After years of isolation from the West, he was greeted with military honors and treated as a respected guest. Russian officials quickly seized on the optics, mocking Western claims that Moscow had been shunned.
For Ukraine, however, the picture was far less hopeful. The fighting continues, and with no firm agreements in place.
