Trump-Putin Alaska summit ends in 'no deal'
Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump held a three-hour meeting in Anchorage, Alaska, on Friday, in what was billed as one of the most consequential summits since the start of the Ukraine war.
The meeting, the first of its kind between a US and Russian leader since 2001, was framed as one that could reshape the global order.
Trump greeted Putin personally on the tarmac, rolling out the red carpet before the two men shared a handshake, a smile, and even a short ride in the presidential limousine. The unusually warm welcome set the stage for a summit that was later described as “constructive” and “mutually respectful” by both leaders.
Ukraine dominates the talks
The Ukraine war was the central issue discussed. At a joint press conference, Putin said he was “sincerely interested” in ending the conflict but stressed that the “root causes must be eliminated” and that “all of Russia’s concerns must be taken into account”.
He echoed Trump’s long-standing claim that the war would not have happened if Trump had been in office at the time. “I think conflict would not have happened if Trump was president,” Putin said.
Putin added that the two sides had reached an “understanding” on Ukraine, though he offered no details. He warned European nations not to “torpedo the nascent progress” and said he expected both Kyiv and European capitals to act “constructively”.
Trump: ‘There’s no deal until there’s a deal’
Trump, for his part, told reporters that while “many points” had been agreed upon, significant differences remained. “There’s no deal until there’s a deal,” he said, noting that he would be calling Nato leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and may meet Putin again soon.
The US president suggested “something” would come of the summit but avoided committing to any timetable. “Putin is bringing a lot of businesspeople from Russia, and that’s good,” Trump said. “I like that because they want to do business, but they’re not doing business until we get the war settled.”
Delegations on both sides
Both leaders were joined by senior officials. Putin brought Defence Minister Andrey Belousov, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, and sovereign wealth fund chief Kirill Dmitriev.
Trump was accompanied by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, top Nato commander General Alexus Grynkewich, General Dan Caine, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and special envoy Steve Witkoff.
No breakthrough, but a shift in tone
While the summit produced no concrete deal, both leaders hailed the tone of the meeting. Putin thanked Trump for his “friendly conversation” and said he hoped it would mark “a starting point for restoration of relations between Russia and the United States”.
Trump described the discussions as “constructive” and said he believed progress had been made. He will give a follow-up interview to Fox News. Putin suggested their next meeting could be in Moscow.
A summit judged by what comes next
Despite its high profile, the Anchorage meeting ended in a holding pattern — no deal, no details, and no press questions. Yet the cordial atmosphere between the two leaders, once unimaginable amid the war, was seen as a symbolic step.
