Introduction to the Summit
Russian President Vladimir Putin said he and President Donald Trump have reached an “understanding” on Ukraine and warned Europe not to “torpedo the nascent progress.” Speaking moments later, Trump said he’d yet to speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy but that he’d be speaking to him and European leaders soon.
Trump and Putin met for about 2 1/2 hours on Friday, at a summit in Alaska that started with a handshake, a smile and a ride in the presidential limousine — an unusually warm reception for a U.S. adversary responsible for launching the largest land war in Europe since 1945.
Trump and Putin met behind closed doors with top advisers on efforts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine. When they greeted each other, they gripped hands for an extended period of time on a red carpet rolled out at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage. As they chatted, Putin grinned and pointed skyward, where B-2s and F-22s — military aircraft designed to oppose Russia during the Cold War — flew overhead.
Background of the Meeting
Reporters nearby yelled, “President Putin, will you stop killing civilians?” and Russia’s leader put his hand up to his ear as though to indicate he couldn’t hear them. Trump and Putin then shared the U.S. presidential limo known as “The Beast” for a short ride to their meeting site, with Putin offering a broad smile as the vehicle rolled past the cameras.
It was the kind of reception typically reserved for close U.S. allies and belied the bloodshed and suffering in the war Putin started in Ukraine. Although not altogether surprising considering their longtime friendly relationship, such outward friendliness before hours of closed-door meetings is likely to raise concerns from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders, who fear that Trump is primarily focusing on furthering U.S. interests and not pressing hard enough for Ukraine’s.
Zelenskyy and European leaders were excluded from Trump and Putin’s discussions, and Ukraine’s president was left posting a video address in which he expressed his hope for a “strong position from the U.S.”
Goals of the Summit
“Everyone wants an honest end to the war. Ukraine is ready to work as productively as possible to end the war,” he said, later adding, “The war continues and it continues precisely because there is no order, nor any signals from Moscow, that it is preparing to end this war.”
The summit was a chance for Trump to prove he’s a dealmaker and peacemaker. He said he could easily find a way to bring the slaughter to a close — a promise he’s been unable to keep so far.
For Putin, it was an opportunity to try to negotiate a deal that would cement Russia’s gains, block Kyiv’s bid to join the NATO military alliance and eventually pull Ukraine back into Moscow’s orbit.
Meeting Details
At a joint news conference with Trump after their meeting, Putin spoke first. Speaking in Russian, the president said he had greeted Trump as “dear neighbor,” thankful to see him in good health.
Putin also said he and Trump “have very good direct contact.” As Putin spoke, Trump stood about 6 or 7 feet away from him, at his own podium.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said shortly before Air Force One touched down that the previously planned one-on-one meeting between Trump and Putin was now a three-on-three discussion, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff. Putin was joined by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov.
Risks and Challenges
The change seemed to indicate that the White House was taking a more guarded approach than it did during a 2018 meeting in Helsinki, where Trump and Putin met privately with their interpreters and Trump then shocked the world by siding with the Russian leader over U.S. intelligence officials on whether Russia meddled in the 2016 campaign.
There are significant risks for Trump. By bringing Putin onto U.S. soil — America bought Alaska from Russia in 1867 for roughly 2 cents per acre — the president is giving him the validation he desires after his ostracization following his invasion of Ukraine 3 1/2 years ago.
Zelenskyy’s exclusion is also a heavy blow to the West’s policy of “nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine” and invites the possibility that Trump could agree to a deal that Ukraine does not want.
War in Ukraine
Any success is far from assured, meanwhile, since Russia and Ukraine remain far apart in their demands for peace. Putin has long resisted any temporary ceasefire, linking it to a halt in Western arms supplies and a freeze on Ukraine’s mobilization efforts, which are conditions rejected by Kyiv and its Western allies.
Trump said earlier in the week there was a 25% chance the summit would fail, but he also floated the idea that if the meeting succeeds, he could bring Zelenskyy to Alaska for a subsequent meeting with himself and Putin. He said during an interview on Air Force One that he might walk out quickly if the meeting wasn’t going well, but that didn’t happen.
Trump said before arriving in Alaska that he would push for an immediate ceasefire while expressing doubts about the possibility of achieving one. He has also suggested working for a broad peace deal to be done quickly. Russia has long favored a comprehensive deal to end the fighting, reflecting its demands, and not a temporary halt to hostilities.
Trump’s Meeting Goals
Trump previously characterized the sit-down as “really a feel-out meeting.” But he’s also warned of “very severe consequences” for Russia if Putin doesn’t agree to end the war.
Trump said his talks with Putin will include Russian demands that Ukraine cede territory as part of a peace deal, and that Ukraine has to decide on those — but he also suggested Zelenskyy should accept concessions.
“I’ve got to let Ukraine make that decision. And I think they’ll make a proper decision,” Trump told reporters traveling with him to Anchorage.
Current Situation in Ukraine
Foreign governments are watching closely to see how Trump reacts to Putin, likely gauging what the interaction might mean for their own dealings with the U.S. president, who has eschewed traditional diplomacy for his own transactional approach to relationships.
The meeting comes as the war has caused heavy losses on both sides and drained resources. Ukraine has held on far longer than some initially expected since the February 2022 invasion, but it is straining to hold off Russia’s much larger army, grappling with bombardments of its cities and fighting for every inch on the over 600-mile (1,000-kilometer) front line.
Alaska is separated from Russia at its closest point by just 3 miles and the international date line.
Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson
Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson was crucial to countering the Soviet Union during the Cold War. It continues to play a role today, as planes from the base still intercept Russian aircraft that regularly fly into U.S. airspace.
By MICHELLE L. PRICE and WILL WEISSERT, The Associated Press
Weissert reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Matthew Lee in Washington, Elise Morton in London and Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow contributed to this report.
Conclusion
The summit between Trump and Putin has significant implications for the ongoing war in Ukraine. While the two leaders have reached an understanding, the details of the agreement are still unclear, and it remains to be seen how the situation will unfold in the coming days and weeks.
The exclusion of Zelenskyy and European leaders from the discussions has raised concerns that Trump may be prioritizing U.S. interests over those of Ukraine, and that a deal may be reached that does not fully address the needs and concerns of the Ukrainian people.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What was the main purpose of the summit between Trump and Putin?
A: The main purpose of the summit was to discuss the ongoing war in Ukraine and to try to reach an agreement on a path forward to end the conflict.
