President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin met Saturday for a high-profile summit in Alaska, their first encounter in seven years, but the nearly three-hour session produced little clarity on the war in Ukraine or the path forward for U.S.-Russia relations.
The summit, billed as a critical step toward peace, ended without a cease-fire agreement or concrete commitments. Instead, it underscored the uncertainty surrounding Trump’s approach to Moscow while giving Putin an opportunity to reassert himself on the international stage.
Putin’s arrival at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage was marked by unusual ceremony. U.S. fighter jets escorted his plane, and troops rolled out a red carpet as the Russian leader stepped onto American soil. Trump greeted him with a lengthy handshake before the two leaders departed together in the president’s armored limousine.
The images, circulated widely on Russian state media, were hailed by Moscow as a symbolic victory.
“They’ve been talking about isolation for three years, and today they saw Putin receiving a red-carpet welcome in the U.S.,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova wrote on Telegram.
Despite expectations that Ukraine would dominate the agenda, Trump made only passing references to the war. Speaking briefly after the summit, he said the talks were “very productive” and claimed the two sides had “agreed on many points,” without elaborating.
“We have a very good chance for a ceasefire,” Trump said, noting that thousands die each week in Ukraine. But he acknowledged no deal had been reached, saying only, “It can be reached.”
Putin avoided direct answers on the conflict. When pressed by a reporter upon arrival about Russian attacks on civilians, he smiled but did not respond. Neither leader took questions during their post-summit remarks.
While U.S. officials had previewed Ukraine as the central issue, Putin instead highlighted cooperation on technology, space exploration and resource development in the Arctic. Analysts said the remarks signaled Russia’s intent to leverage its vast reserves of rare earth elements and energy supplies in future negotiations.
No timeline was set for additional talks, but Putin invited Trump to Moscow for a follow-up meeting. Trump, acknowledging potential criticism, replied, “It’s possible.”
Later, in an interview with Fox News, Trump rated the summit a “10 out of 10.”
For now, the meeting appeared to be more spectacle than breakthrough. The red-carpet reception projected Putin’s return to center stage in global diplomacy, while Trump’s vague comments left many questions unanswered.
The clearest outcome, observers said, was symbolic: the Russian president, after years of Western efforts to isolate him, stood once again as a welcomed counterpart in the United States.
