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President Donald Trump and Russia’s President Vladimir Putin speak, Friday, Aug. 15, 2025, at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska.
Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP
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Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – It was a summit thrown collectively only a week after it was first introduced, marked by cinematic thrives as the 2 presidents arrived at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, earlier than strolling a purple carpet collectively as bomber and fighter jets roared overhead.
Either side billed it as an necessary assembly. However whereas the staging appeared to have been readied on time, the diplomatic script appeared to not have been written upfront, and no clear outcomes or main bulletins emerged from the talks.
The in depth journey required to the navy web site exterior Anchorage lasted far longer than the precise talks. Whereas a banner behind Presidents Trump and Putin at a press convention after their discussions learn “Pursuing Peace,” the U.S. chief by no means as soon as talked about the phrase “peace” in his remarks.
Trump stored his assertion uncharacteristically brief, and didn’t seem notably pleased with what had transpired in his assembly with Putin.
“There have been many, many factors that we agreed on. Most of them, I’d say a few massive ones that we have not fairly received there, however we have made some headway,” mentioned Trump, with out elaborating on the small print.
Forward of the summit, he’d mentioned he wished to stroll away with a ceasefire — though often within the days main as much as the assembly, he additionally sought to decrease expectations by saying it was nearly feeling issues out, or setting the desk for a second assembly.
The reactions from leaders and legislators worldwide —
with the notable exception of these in Russia — expressed some hope, however typically disappointment too.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who was disregarded of the Alaska talks, mentioned he’ll meet Trump in Washington on Monday to debate subsequent steps towards ending the conflict.
U.S. legislators weigh in with criticism, cautious optimism
Trump once more postponed stronger sanctions on Russia, regardless of Putin’s refusal to publicly decide to a ceasefire with Ukraine.
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin listens as President Donald Trump converse throughout a information convention at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Friday, Aug. 15, 2025.
Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP
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Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP
“I believe I haven’t got to consider that now,” Trump mentioned when requested about this throughout an interview with Fox Information after the assembly.
Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, the rating Democrat on the Senate’s Overseas Relations Committee, mentioned Trump appeared “to have been performed but once more by Vladimir Putin.”
In a assertion launched by her workplace, Shaheen mentioned Trump had “rolled out a purple carpet and warmly greeted a murderous dictator on American soil and reviews point out he received nothing concrete in return.”
Shaheen mentioned she was “inspired” that Trump had promised to debrief Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in addition to European allies, but additionally voiced impatience.
“Sufficient is sufficient. If President Trump will not act, Congress should accomplish that decisively by passing crushing sanctions.”
Trump informed Fox Information that he anticipated a trilateral summit, involving each Putin and Zelenskyy, to occur quickly. Alaskan Senator Lisa Murkowski, a Republican who has been prepared to stifle Trump’s legislative efforts through the years, had expressed skepticism in regards to the assembly earlier this week.
However she wrote on social media that she was “cautiously optimistic in regards to the alerts that some degree of progress was made” and mentioned it was “encouraging to listen to each presidents reference future conferences, which I hope will embrace Ukraine.”
South Carolinian Republican Senator Lindsey Graham echoed these sentiments, however instructed the options can be disastrous for Putin and Russia.
“If there is a trilateral assembly between President @realdonaldtrump, President Zelensky and Putin, then I’m cautiously optimistic that this conflict will finish properly earlier than Christmas,” he wrote on X. “If the assembly does not occur, I believe President Trump might ship extreme penalties to Putin and those that purchase his oil and gasoline.”
Trump passes ball to Ukraine, and Zelenskyy
After the summit, Trump additionally informed Fox Information it was now as much as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to “get it achieved” and mentioned he would inform Zelenskyy to “make the deal.”
“Look: Russia is a really massive energy, and so they’re not,” Trump mentioned within the interview.
However the response from lawmakers in Kyiv was removed from enthusiastic.
“It appears Putin has purchased himself extra time,” Oleksiy Honcharenko, a Ukrainian lawmaker wrote on Telegram. “No cease-fire or any sort of de-escalation has been agreed upon.”
In a submit on X, Zelenskyy mentioned he had accepted Trump’s invitation to Washington on Monday, “to debate the entire particulars relating to ending the killing and the conflict.”
He went on to emphasise the significance of European involvement to make sure dependable safety ensures alongside the U.S., noting “constructive alerts from the American aspect relating to participation in guaranteeing Ukraine’s safety.”
He added that Ukraine continues to coordinate with all companions and thanked everybody helping within the effort.
Response amongst Russia delegation
At a time when President Putin is unable to go to greater than 100 nations, out of concern he may very well be arrested due to warrants issued by the Worldwide Felony Courtroom (ICC), the journey to Alaska highlighted American exceptionalism. The US will not be get together to the treaties governing the ICC.
U.S. leaders have repeatedly criticized the courtroom’s actions, and have not too long ago sanctioned officers there, resulting from its actions towards Israel. The summit thus supplied a gap for the Russian chief to as soon as once more stand on a world stage with one other world chief. He spoke at size through the press convention with Trump, referencing an settlement the 2 males had made that might “pave the trail in direction of peace in Ukraine” — with out, once more, disclosing any particulars.
FILE – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy seems with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz following talks with European and U.S. leaders in Berlin, Germany, Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025.
Ebrahim Noroozi/AP
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Ebrahim Noroozi/AP
“We anticipate that Kyiv and European capitals will understand that constructively and that they will not throw a wrench within the works,” Putin added, a jab on the position many European leaders have performed in supporting Zelenskyy in his dealings with the Trump White Home in latest months.
He mentioned he hoped European leaders would “not make any makes an attempt to make use of some backroom dealings to conduct provocations to torpedo the nascent progress.”
Putin’s spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, who had travelled to Alaska too, described the assembly between Trump and Putin as “very constructive,” and defined that there had been no want for both chief to area questions from the small military of assembled journalists, as a result of their statements had been “exhaustive,” in accordance with state-controlled RIA Novosti.
The Russian spokesman mentioned the Alaska dialog may assist the 2 males “confidently transfer ahead collectively” alongside a path that might discover choices for peace.
Europeans stay key to a ceasefire
In Europe, the place leaders had labored arduous in latest days to strengthen Ukraine’s diplomatic place within the talks, regardless of Zelenskyy’s absence, there was a level of anger amongst lawmakers in some nations.
Marko Mihkelson, the Chairman of the Overseas Affairs Committee of the Estonian Parliament, wrote on social media that the assembly “was no shock. Putin wished to humiliate the US — and he succeeded.”
He mentioned Trump wanted to put “actual strain on Russia” if he wished to remodel a weak hand right into a profitable one.
The feedback by Putin about Europe’s potential to dam progress consisted of “gaslighting and veiled threats,” wrote Lithuania’s protection minister Dovile Sakaliene on X, noting that within the hours earlier than the assembly, Russian forces had continued to “bomb civilians in Ukraine.
“The Czech Overseas Minister Jan Lipavsky expressed gratitude for Trump’s makes an attempt to forge a peace deal, but additionally warned about propaganda efforts by the Kremlin. “The issue is Russian imperialism,” he wrote on X. “If Putin had been severe about peace talks, he wouldn’t have been attacking Ukraine all day.”
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