ANCHORAGE, Aug 16 — Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin held a high-stakes summit yesterday but failed to achieve any obvious breakthrough on the Ukraine conflict, despite highlighting areas of common ground and renewing friendly ties.
ANCHORAGE, Aug 16 — Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin held a high-stakes summit yesterday but failed to achieve any obvious breakthrough on the Ukraine conflict, despite highlighting areas of common ground and renewing friendly ties.
Trump welcomed Putin at an Alaska air base — the Russian leader’s first appearance on Western soil since ordering the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 — and the two spoke for three hours alongside their senior officials.
Following the talks, both leaders delivered cordial statements but did not take questions from the media, an unusual move for the typically media-savvy US president.
“We had an extremely productive meeting and reached agreement on many issues,” Trump said, noting that only a few unresolved points remained, including one he described as “probably the most significant.” He added, “We didn’t get there today, but we have a very good chance of getting there.”
Putin, speaking in similarly general terms, expressed hope that their understanding could “pave the way for peace in Ukraine.”
When Trump suggested a second meeting, Putin smiled and responded in English, “Next time in Moscow.” He also flattered Trump by agreeing that the Ukraine war would not have occurred if Trump rather than Joe Biden were in office.
Trump, meanwhile, repeated his claim that allegations of Russian meddling in the 2016 US election were a “hoax.”
The friendly tone at the summit marked a sharp contrast with Trump’s earlier tense meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in February. Trump said he still plans to consult Zelensky and NATO leaders, who have expressed concern about his outreach to Putin.
Putin used the short press appearance to warn Ukraine and its European allies against undermining what he called emerging progress.
The summit itself featured carefully staged elements, including the arrival on presidential jets and a flyover by a B-2 stealth bomber. Trump even escorted Putin into “The Beast,” the US presidential limousine, ahead of the talks in a room featuring a screen reading “Pursuing Peace.”
Putin appeared confident and jovial throughout, despite an outstanding International Criminal Court arrest warrant over the Ukraine war, which has claimed tens of thousands of lives.
Russia has recently made gains on the battlefield, potentially strengthening Putin’s negotiating position, though Ukraine said it had retaken several villages as Putin traveled.
Trump, who came under fire for appearing submissive during a 2018 summit in Helsinki, had vowed to be tougher this time. Notably, the White House announced during his flight to Alaska that he had canceled a planned one-on-one session with Putin, opting instead to include Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff.
Zelensky — who has resisted Trump’s calls to concede territory — was not part of the talks.
“It is time to end the war, and the necessary steps must be taken by Russia. We are counting on America,” Zelensky wrote on social media.
Trump has said that any final deal would require a three-way meeting with Putin and Zelensky to discuss territorial divisions. However, he made no mention of such a meeting and returned promptly to Washington after the summit. — AFP
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