Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to the United States for a high-stakes summit with President Donald Trump concluded without any breakthrough on halting the war in Ukraine. Held at a military base in Anchorage, Alaska, the meeting, while diplomatically symbolic, produced no agreement, despite the urgency and anticipation surrounding the event.
Putin, stepping onto Western soil for the first time since launching the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, was met with a red carpet welcome and a warm handshake from Trump. It was a sharp contrast to the chilly reception Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy received during his February visit to the White House. The optics alone, analysts say, granted Putin a “diplomatic win,” restoring some legitimacy after years of international isolation.
Before the summit, Trump had repeatedly boasted that he could end the Ukraine war “within 24 hours” if re-elected, claiming he had the leverage and personal rapport with Putin to negotiate a quick resolution. The Alaska meeting was his first real test of that claim, and the outcome fell short.
Following nearly three hours of closed-door talks, the two leaders took the stage to deliver carefully crafted statements, but refused to take questions from the gathered global media. A visibly pleased Putin was the first to speak, beginning with a calculated display of neighborly charm.
“Good afternoon, dear neighbour,” he said, referencing Alaska’s historic and geographic proximity to Russia. “We are close neighbours, and it’s a fact,” he added.
Putin described the meeting as “long overdue” and hinted at behind-the-scenes progress, saying, “We hope the agreement that we’ve reached together will help us bring close that goal and will pave the path towards peace in Ukraine.” Yet, no agreement was presented.
Read Also: Trump Pushes for Ukraine Peace in Call with Putin Following Surprise Election Win
In a thinly veiled jab at Western powers, Putin added, “We expect that Kyiv and European capitals will perceive that constructively and that they won’t throw a wrench in the works… They will not make any attempts to use some backroom dealings to conduct provocations to torpedo the nascent progress.”
Trump, standing beside him, echoed a vague optimism: “There were many, many points that we agreed on. Most of them, I would say.” But he acknowledged, “There is no deal until there is a deal.” He said he would now consult with NATO allies and Zelenskyy before moving forward, noting, “It’s ultimately up to them.”
Pressed on the sticking points, Trump remained non-committal. “There are just a very few that are left; some are not that significant, one is probably the most significant,” he said, offering no elaboration.
Notably absent from Trump’s remarks was any mention of the sanctions he had previously threatened if Russia refused a ceasefire. Nor did he outline any next steps or timelines for concrete action. Instead, he closed with a promise: “We have a very good chance of getting there… We didn’t get there, but we have a very good chance of getting there.”
Putin, with a slight smirk, concluded the session with a pointed remark: “Next time, in Moscow.” Trump responded with a chuckle, “I might get a little heat on that one,” but did not rule out a future visit.
With no ceasefire, no timeline, and no clear progress, the Alaska summit may be remembered less for diplomacy and more for the stage it gave Putin, and the silence that followed.
