US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a high-stakes summit in Alaska on Friday, rekindling personal camaraderie but failing to deliver a breakthrough on the war in Ukraine.
Meeting for nearly two-and-a-half hours at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, the leaders avoided direct questions from the press but praised the tone of discussions. Trump said the talks were “extremely productive,” while Putin spoke of reaching an “understanding” on Ukraine.
Trump, however, was firm that “there’s no deal until there’s a deal,” adding that he would soon brief Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders. He acknowledged progress on “many points” but admitted one “most significant” issue remained unresolved.
Putin, meanwhile, urged Europe not to “torpedo the nascent progress,” thanking Trump for a “friendly” conversation. He praised Trump as a leader who “cares for his country” while respecting Russia’s national interests, and expressed hope that the summit would mark the beginning of “restored pragmatic relations” between Washington and Moscow.
The meeting ended on a light note when Putin invited Trump to Moscow. “That’s an interesting one,” Trump replied, hinting he could face criticism but leaving the door open: “I could see it possibly happening.”
Despite the cordial display, hopes for a ceasefire in Ukraine remain unmet — leaving global attention fixed on whether the Trump-Putin rapport can translate into concrete diplomatic results.
