Key points
- US and Russian leaders met behind closed doors
- The session was anticipated to yield substantial outcomes
- It wrapped up sooner than expected
ISLAMABAD: United States (US) President Donald Trump met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday in Alaska, marking the first direct interaction between American and Russian leaders since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in early 2022.
While the closed-door session was anticipated to yield substantial outcomes, it wrapped up sooner than expected and without the ceasefire that Trump had been advocating.
Here are five notable points from the summit:
No clear breakthroughs announced
Although the two presidents spent nearly three hours together, they emerged without announcing any formal agreement or outlining specific progress.
Putin spoke vaguely about a shared commitment to move toward peace in Ukraine, while Trump acknowledged unresolved differences, saying, “There’s no deal until there’s a deal.” Both leaders refrained from detailing the discussion and did not take questions from the press.
Putin scored symbolic wins
Before the summit even began, Putin achieved a symbolic victory by returning to US soil after years of diplomatic isolation. His arrival featured formal honours, including a ride in Trump’s presidential limousine. After the meeting, he left without having made any public concessions, yet maintained a visibly friendly dynamic with Trump — a stark contrast to Trump’s earlier comments expressing frustration with Putin’s role in delaying a peace process.
Trump let Putin take the lead
Despite hosting the meeting in the US, Trump allowed Putin to speak first during their joint appearance. The Russian leader used the opportunity to present his narrative about the origins of the Ukraine conflict. Trump did not challenge these remarks and avoided repeating his earlier warnings about the need for an immediate cease-fire or the potential for sanctions if one wasn’t achieved.
Fuel for old grievances
Though the summit concluded without major results, Trump used the platform to reiterate his longstanding criticism of investigations into his 2016 campaign’s ties to Russia, labelling them a “hoax.” Putin, standing beside him, supported Trump’s claim that Russia wouldn’t have invaded Ukraine if Trump had been in office at the time. However, Putin’s continued military action despite Trump’s return to power was left unaddressed.
Openness to visiting Moscow
Speculation had circulated that Trump might briefly cross into Russia during the Alaska meeting, given the state’s geographical closeness. That didn’t happen, but Putin did extend an invitation to meet again in Moscow. Trump appeared receptive, hinting it was a possibility.
