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Donald Trump leaves Vladimir Putin summit without a deal in hand
Trump says "some great progress" was made with Putin, and he will speak with European leaders and Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky soon.
www.newsweek.com
President Donald Trump departed Friday's high-stakes summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin without securing a cease-fire in Ukraine, a goal he had publicly set before boarding Air Force One for Anchorage.
Held at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, the summit marked Putin's first trip to the U.S. in a decade. The event opened with military flyovers, a red-carpet ceremony, and an unusual, shared ride in Trump's armored limousine.
The talks ended without a deal after a two-and-a-half-hour closed-door session, a stark contrast to Trump's pre-summit remarks to Fox News, in which he said he would be unhappy leaving without some form of a ceasefire.
"We haven't quite got there, but we've got some headway," Trump said at a joint appearance with Putin following the meeting. "There's no deal until there's a deal."
Putin, for his part, called the meeting "constructive and useful" and emphasized a desire for long-term resolution, but reiterated that any progress must not be obstructed by Europe. "Russia is genuinely interested in ending the Ukraine conflict," he said.
Inside the meeting, the U.S. delegation included Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. On the Russian side were longtime Putin allies like Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Defense Minister Andrey Belousov, and Kremlin economic envoy Kirill Dmitriev.
Putin Speaks First
The press conference opened in an unusual way — with Putin speaking first, a break from diplomatic protocol for joint appearances hosted by the United States. The Russian leader praised the tone of the talks."Our negotiations have been held in a constructive atmosphere of mutual respect," Putin said, thanking Trump for hosting the summit in Alaska.
He also spoke warmly about the potential for a reset in bilateral relations. "I'm sure that this heritage will help us rebuild and foster mutually beneficial and equal ties at this new stage, even during the hardest conditions," he said.
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President Donald Trump, right, shakes the hand of Russia's President Vladimir Putin during a joint press conference at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Friday, Aug. 15, 2025. Associated Press
Putin described the war in Ukraine as the result of "fundamental threats to our security," and said Russia considers Ukrainians "a brotherly nation." "Everything that's happening is a tragedy for us. A terrible wound," he said.
Still, Putin signaled a desire for resolution. "I have every reason to believe that moving down this path, we can come — and the sooner the better — to the end of the conflict in Ukraine," he said.
He then echoed Trump's comments about Ukraine's safety, adding, "I agree with President Trump, as he has said today, that naturally, the security of Ukraine should be ensured as well. Naturally, we're prepared to work on that."
'A Fantastic Relationship'
Trump, standing beside Putin, praised their personal rapport, saying he had "always had a fantastic relationship" with the Russian leader, and blamed the U.S. investigation into Russian election interference for damaging their ability to work together during his first term."I've always had a fantastic relationship with President Putin, with Vladimir," Trump said. "We were interfered with by the Russia hoax that made it a little tougher to deal with, but he understood it."
Putin, standing beside him, did not dispute Trump.
President Donald Trump, right, Russia's President Vladimir Putin depart following a joint press conference at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Friday, Aug. 15, 2025. AP Photo/Jae C. Hong
"The most important thing is that we have a decent chance to achieve peace," Trump said. "President Putin wants to see that as much as I do."
Putin, in turn, said he would welcome Trump to Moscow for a follow-up meeting — an invitation Trump called "interesting," adding, "I'll get a little heat on that one, but I could see it possibly happening."
Trump also said "some great progress" had been made and that he plans to speak with NATO leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Putin said he and Trump had reached an "understanding" and cautioned European countries not to "torpedo the nascent progress."
Despite the warm tone, neither side disclosed the contents of what Putin described as an "understanding," and no formal agreement or cease-fire emerged. Both men declined to take questions.
