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A long-awaited summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin ended without any breakthrough on halting or resolving Russia’s war in Ukraine, though both leaders described their nearly three-hour meeting in Alaska as “productive.”
Speaking briefly to reporters afterward, Trump and Putin claimed progress had been made on unspecified issues but declined to answer questions. Trump, standing before a backdrop reading “Pursuing Peace,” said: “We’ve made some headway … There’s no deal until there’s a deal.”
Despite Trump’s goal of advancing toward a ceasefire in Europe’s deadliest war in eight decades, no concrete steps emerged. Still, the summit itself was a symbolic win for Putin, who has been largely isolated on the world stage since launching the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
In an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity afterward, Trump said he would delay imposing tariffs on China over purchases of Russian oil, citing progress with Putin. India, however, continues to face steep U.S. tariffs on imports that include Russian crude. Trump suggested a follow-up meeting could bring Putin together with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, possibly with Trump himself participating, though no details were provided.
Putin, speaking separately, pressed Ukraine and its allies not to obstruct “emerging progress” and reiterated Moscow’s stance that so-called “root causes” of the war must be addressed before peace is possible—a signal he remains unwilling to agree to a simple ceasefire. Kyiv has yet to respond to the summit outcome.
Trump hinted that land swaps and security guarantees for Ukraine were on the table, telling Hannity that the two sides were “pretty close to a deal,” but he stressed that Ukraine would need to agree: “Maybe they’ll say no.” Asked what advice he would give Zelenskyy, Trump replied: “Gotta make a deal … Russia is a very big power, and they’re not.”
Zelenskyy has repeatedly rejected handing over territory and insists on security guarantees backed by Washington. Trump said he planned to update the Ukrainian leader and NATO officials on the Alaska talks upon returning to Washington.
Meanwhile, the fighting raged on. Russia said it intercepted 29 Ukrainian drones overnight, while Ukraine reported that it destroyed 61 of 85 drones launched by Moscow across multiple regions. Both sides reported ongoing strikes and air raid alerts.
The summit’s low-key conclusion contrasted with its ceremonial start. Putin was welcomed in Alaska with a red carpet and military flyover, despite facing an International Criminal Court warrant accusing him of war crimes for the deportation of Ukrainian children—charges Russia denies and dismisses as illegitimate.
“NEXT TIME IN MOSCOW”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who was not invited to the Alaska summit, and European leaders had worried that Trump might effectively cement Russian control over roughly 20% of Ukraine by freezing the conflict.Trump tried to calm those concerns before meeting Putin, saying any decision on territorial concessions would ultimately be up to Ukraine. Asked what would define success, he told reporters: “I want to see a ceasefire quickly … I’m not going to be happy if it’s not today … I want the killing to stop.”
Joining the talks were U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trump’s Russia envoy Steve Witkoff, Putin’s foreign policy adviser Yury Ushakov, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
Although Trump had campaigned on a promise to end the war within 24 hours, he acknowledged on Thursday that the challenge was far greater than expected. He said arranging a three-way summit with Zelenskiy, should progress be made, would matter more than his direct meeting with Putin.
Concluding Friday’s talks, Trump thanked Putin and said he expected to see him again soon. Putin, smiling and switching to English, replied: “Next time in Moscow.” Trump quipped that he might “take some heat” for such a visit but added it was “possibly” in the cards.
Ahead of the summit, Zelenskiy had urged that the talks serve as a step toward a “just peace” that included Ukraine at the table. But he stressed that Russia was still actively waging war. “It’s time to end the war, and the necessary steps must be taken by Russia. We are counting on America,” he posted on Telegram.
