On his flight back from Alaska, the U.S. president reached out to Ukrainian President Zelensky, following his candid admission to reporters that “we didn’t get there” in securing a deal for Ukraine, signaling the challenges that remain in the ongoing negotiations.
In a highly anticipated summit on Friday, U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin met in Alaska for nearly three hours. The talks, which focused on the ongoing war in Ukraine, left much unresolved, with no agreement reached on a ceasefire — a key objective ahead of the summit.
Both leaders emerged from the meeting offering vague hints of progress, but nothing concrete. Standing before a backdrop that read “Pursuing Peace,” Trump told reporters, “We’ve made some headway.” However, he offered little by way of details, dismissing shouted questions from the press. “There’s no deal until there’s a deal,” he added, underscoring the uncertainty that still surrounds the situation.
Putin, who has long insisted on addressing what he calls the “root causes” of the crisis, maintained Russia’s stance on Ukraine, saying it was vital to ensure Moscow’s “legitimate concerns” were addressed. Despite the lack of movement on a ceasefire, he expressed cautious optimism that the discussions had brought the two sides closer to finding a way forward. “We are ready to work on this,” Putin said, indicating a desire for peace while urging both Kyiv and European capitals to view the talks in a “constructive manner” and avoid “provocation.”
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, speaking shortly after the summit, struck a more hopeful tone. He confirmed that Ukraine was ready for “constructive cooperation” and would continue talks, including a planned trip to Washington the following Monday. His message emphasized a commitment to diplomatic engagement, even as the conflict drags on with no clear resolution in sight.
While the summit did not yield a ceasefire, Trump did mention that potential land swaps and security guarantees for Ukraine had been discussed. He told Fox News, “I think those are points that we negotiated, and those are points that we largely have agreed on.” However, both leaders left the meeting without offering specific details on what was actually agreed, leaving much to speculation.
The war in Ukraine, now the deadliest conflict in Europe in over 80 years, continues to exact a devastating toll. Analysts estimate that over a million people have been killed or injured, with Ukrainian civilians bearing the brunt of the violence.