Key Points:
- Putin described the Alaska summit as productive.
- Russia insists on recognition of territorial gains
WASHINGTON: U.S. President Donald Trump said he is “very disappointed” with Russian President Vladimir Putin after weeks of stalled diplomacy over Ukraine, even as the Kremlin leader sounded more optimistic about the outcome of their Alaska summit.
Speaking in a radio interview carried by The Hugh Hewitt Show, and first reported by Reuters, Trump lamented the lack of progress since the high-profile meeting with Putin last month. “I’m very disappointed in President Putin. We need to see real steps to end the killing,” Trump said, adding that Washington was weighing additional measures to pressure Moscow. He hinted at “territorial negotiations” as a possible path, although Kyiv has repeatedly rejected any deal that legitimises Russian control of the occupied lands.
Putin, by contrast, struck a hopeful note in remarks at a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation gathering this week. He said the “understandings” reached in Alaska had “opened the way to peace in Ukraine” and claimed the Trump administration was “listening” to Russia’s concerns.
Putin pointed to areas of potential cooperation, including the protection of critical infrastructure such as the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant and the future of European security.
Despite the contrasting tones, talks remain at an impasse. Meanwhile, Russian forces have continued military strikes, undercutting hopes of an early ceasefire.
The Alaska meeting was hailed at the time as a symbolic reset after years of estrangement between Washington and Moscow, with both sides speaking of Arctic energy cooperation and broader economic opportunities. But the absence of concrete agreements and the continuation of battlefield hostilities have deepened doubts about the summit’s legacy.
Analysts note that Trump’s visible frustration, paired with Putin’s public optimism, highlights the widening gap between U.S. expectations and Russian conditions. The U.S. president has floated the idea of a three-way summit with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, though no plans have materialised.
The U.S. Justice Department and State Department officials are preparing contingency options, including tighter sanctions, if Russia does not ease military operations. Yet Moscow insists it sees “a light at the end of the tunnel” in relations with Washington, underscoring the mixed signals clouding the future of diplomacy.
