logo
Trump-Putin summit: No deal reached to end war in Ukraine

Trump-Putin summit: No deal reached to end war in Ukraine

Sky News3 days ago
No deal has been reached to end the war in Ukraine - but Donald Trump has said there are "many points" he and Vladimir Putin agreed on during their highly anticipated summit.
Following the meeting in Alaska, which lasted more than two-and-a-half hours, the two leaders gave a short media conference giving little detail about what had been discussed, and without taking questions.
Mr Trump described the meeting as "very productive" and said there were "many points that we agreed on... I would say a couple of big ones".
2:20
But there are a few left, he added. "Some are not that significant. One is probably the most significant, but we have a very good chance of getting there...
"We haven't quite got there, we've made some headway. There's no deal until there's a deal."
Mr Putin described the negotiations as "thorough and constructive" and said Russia was "seriously interested in putting an end" to the war in Ukraine. He also warned Europe not to "torpedo nascent progress".
After much build-up to the summit - with the US president threatening "severe" consequences for Russia should it not go well - it was ultimately not clear whether the talks had produced meaningful steps towards a ceasefire in what has been the deadliest conflict in Europe in 80 years.
Mr Trump said he intended to speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other European leaders, who were excluded from the discussions, to brief them.
Despite not reaching any major breakthrough, the US leader ended his remarks with a thank you, and said he would probably see Mr Putin again "very soon".
When the Russian president suggested that "next time" would be Moscow, he responded by saying he might face criticism, but "I could see it possibly happening".
2:10
The red carpet treatment
The news conference came after a grand arrival at the Elmendorf-Richardson military base in Anchorage, where the US president stepped down from Air Force One and later greeted his Russian counterpart with a handshake and smiles on a red carpet.
Mr Putin even travelled alongside Mr Trump in the presidential limousine, nicknamed "The Beast".
It was the kind of reception typically reserved for close US allies, belying the bloodshed and the suffering in the war.
Before the talks, the two presidents ignored frantically-shouted questions from journalists - and Mr Putin appeared to frown when asked by one reporter if he would stop "killing civilians" in Ukraine, putting his hand to his ear as though to indicate he could not hear.
3:22
Our US correspondent Martha Kelner, on the ground in Alaska, said he was shouting "let's go" - apparently in reference to getting the reporters out of the room.
3:02
A '10/10' meeting
During his first day back in the White House in January, Mr Trump had pledged confidently to bring about an end to the war in Ukraine.
But seven months later, after infamously berating Mr Zelenskyy during a meeting at the Oval Office in February, and then stanching the flow of some US military assistance to Kyiv, he still does not appear to have brought a pause to the conflict.
In an interview with Fox News before leaving Alaska, Mr Trump described the meeting with Mr Putin as "warm" and gave it a "10/10", but declined to give details about what they discussed.
He also insisted that the onus going forward could be on Mr Zelenskyy "to get it done", but said there would also be some involvement from European nations.
7:06
What happens next?
Mr Trump is expected to speak to Mr Zelenskyy, Sir Keir Starmer and European leaders about the talks.
A meeting of ambassadors from European countries has been scheduled for 8.30am UK time, EU presidency sources have told Sky News.
European heads of state and Mr Trump are also likely to have a virtual meeting later in the day.
Despite the US president's efforts to bring about a ceasefire, Russian attacks on Ukraine have only intensified in the past few months.
On 9 July, Russia carried out its largest aerial attack on Ukraine since the start of the war, launching more than 740 drones and missiles.
Furthermore, Mr Zelenskyy has said Russia is preparing for new offensives.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

What Hulk Hogan reportedly thought of Newsom
What Hulk Hogan reportedly thought of Newsom

Daily Mail​

time14 minutes ago

  • Daily Mail​

What Hulk Hogan reportedly thought of Newsom

The press office of California Gov. Gavin Newsom recently posted a meme featuring the late Hulk Hogan watching over him - but the WWE icon reportedly 'couldn't stand' the Democratic politician. The sarcastic AI-generated image featured Kid Rock, Tucker Carlson and Hogan (with a halo over his head) with their hands on the shoulders of a sitting Newsom. Linda told the outlet that 'it would be a cold day in hell' for her husband to support Newsom. Paraphrasing their conversation with Lisa, TMZ also wrote that Hogan was ' as far from liberal as you can get,' and that Lisa found the post to be 'pretty lame' (the 'couldn't stand' phrasing was also TMZ's). In fact Hogan, spoke at last year's Republican National Convention in support of Trump, and the president expressed his condolences for his death on Truth Social after his passing in July. 'We lost a great friend today, the 'Hulkster.' Hulk Hogan was MAGA all the way -- Strong, tough, smart, but with the biggest heart,' Trump said. 'He gave an absolutely electric speech at the Republican National Convention, that was one of the highlights of the entire week.' 'He entertained fans from all over the World, and the cultural impact he had was massive. To his wife, Sky, and family, we give our warmest best wishes and love. Hulk Hogan will be greatly missed!' Hogan, whose real name is Terry Bollea, passed away from a heart attack on July 24 - roughly two-and-a-half weeks before what would have been his 72nd birthday. Hogan had also been estranged from Brooke for years (they did reconcile before his death), and the Daily Mail previously reported that she was 'overwhelmed and emotionally drained' following his death. Brooke did not attend Hogan's funeral with family and friends but later held her own memorial for the WWE legend.

TAKEAWAYS Well-mannered White House welcome for Ukraine leaves many questions
TAKEAWAYS Well-mannered White House welcome for Ukraine leaves many questions

Reuters

time14 minutes ago

  • Reuters

TAKEAWAYS Well-mannered White House welcome for Ukraine leaves many questions

WASHINGTON, Aug 18 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump gathered European leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy for a hastily arranged White House meeting on Monday to discuss a path to ending Russia's war in Ukraine. Here are takeaways from the talks: Seven European leaders, the Ukrainian president, their motorcades, dozens of Trump administration staff and more than 100 journalists swarmed the White House campus on Monday in anticipation of the unusual meeting. Would Trump and Zelenskiy agree on a path to peace? Or would their latest Oval Office session devolve into a bitter squabble as in February? Neither scenario occurred. Zelenskiy, chided for his appearance and manner in February, adjusted both. Wearing more formal clothing and repeatedly expressing his gratitude to Trump, he was greeted by a far more complimentary U.S. president than in the past. But, despite Trump's vow to assist in Ukraine's security after a hypothetical peace deal, there was no immediate sign that any party had substantially changed position on land swaps, security guarantees or sanctions. Instead, Trump ended with promises to host a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin to address the many remaining issues. "Have you said 'thank you' once?" U.S. Vice President JD Vance asked Zelenskiy in February, accusing him of failing to show sufficient gratitude for U.S. support. On Monday, Zelenskiy made sure that was not an issue. His opening remarks in the Oval Office included eight thank-yous, mostly for Trump. "Thank you so much, Mr. President ... thank you for your attention. Thank you very much for your efforts, personal efforts to stop killings and stop this war. Thank you," Zelenskiy said. He included the U.S. first lady, who sent a letter to Putin about abducted children in Ukraine. "Using this opportunity, my thanks to your wife," the Ukrainian president said. "And thanks to all our partners and that you supported this format. And after our meeting, we're going to have leaders who are around us, the UK and France, Germany... all partners around Ukraine supporting us. Thanks (to) them. Thank you very much for your invitation." Unlike in February, Vance this time sat largely silent. The stakes of the meeting could not have been higher. But one of the most-asked questions among diplomats in D.C. could not have been more frivolous: Would the Ukrainian president wear a suit? The answer: kind of. Zelenskiy showed up to the White House in what one European diplomat described as "almost a suit." His black jacket had tiny lapels and jetted chest pockets. He did not wear a tie. His attire, which split the difference between the battlefield and the boardroom, could be described as combat formal. Those sartorial details matter when it comes to dealing with the U.S. president, who was upset that Zelenskiy did not wear a suit for their February meeting. Zelenskiy passed the fashion test this time, however. When one journalist in the Oval Office said Zelenskiy looked "fabulous," Trump chimed in to agree. "I said the same thing," Trump told reporters. The assembled European leaders, Zelenskiy included, were careful to paper over policy disagreements with Trump, keeping their comments vague and showering the U.S. president with compliments. But one point of disagreement did bubble to the surface. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz told the assembled leaders and media that he wanted to see Putin agree to a ceasefire. Trump had long pushed for a ceasefire in Ukraine. But he largely jettisoned that goal after meeting with Putin last week in Alaska, a shift that was widely seen as a diplomatic defeat for Ukraine. The U.S. president now says he is fine trying to move directly to a peace deal. "To be honest, we all would like to see a ceasefire," Merz said. "I can't imagine that the next meeting would take place without a ceasefire, so let's work on that." Trump pushed back, arguing he has solved many conflicts without first reaching a ceasefire. One of the great mysteries that hung over the summit was what support the U.S. would give to secure any Russia-Ukraine deal long term. Trump hasn't offered U.S. troops' "boots on the ground" to guarantee Ukraine's security from Russia, reflecting American reticence to commit to military entanglements or a head-to-head confrontation with a nuclear power. Instead, he has offered weapons sales and promised that Americans will do business in Ukraine, assurances that Ukrainians see as far less than a security guarantee. Europeans are preparing for a peacekeeping mission backed by their forces. Yet, asked explicitly whether U.S. security guarantees for Ukraine could include U.S. troops in the country, Trump did not rule it out. Instead, he teased an announcement as soon as Monday on the topic. "We'll let you know that, maybe, later today," Trump said. He said Europe was the "first line of defense" but that "we'll be involved." Trump said he would call Putin and set up a trilateral meeting with Ukraine at a time and place to be determined. Despite some private misgivings, the assembled leaders agreed that such a meeting was a logical next step. Still, the path forward is more complex than Trump and his allies are letting on. For one, Russia has delayed and obstructed high-level meetings with Ukraine in the past, and it was not immediately clear that Putin would actually sit down with Zelenskiy, who he frequently describes as an illegitimate leader. Additionally, it is unclear how much a principal-level meeting would actually advance the cause of peace. The gulf between the Russian and Ukrainian positions is vast. The Kremlin said on Monday the presence of NATO troops in Ukraine is a non-starter, a stance that would be hard for Ukraine to swallow. Russia is also calling for Ukraine to fork over significant chunks of territory that Kyiv controls, another proposal that Ukraine's leaders are not entertaining.

Trump admits Melania loves son Barron 'more than me' during sweet tribute to the first lady
Trump admits Melania loves son Barron 'more than me' during sweet tribute to the first lady

Daily Mail​

time14 minutes ago

  • Daily Mail​

Trump admits Melania loves son Barron 'more than me' during sweet tribute to the first lady

President Donald Trump joked Monday that First Lady Melania Trump probably loved her son Barron Trump more than him, during a frank conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House. The president noted that Mrs. Trump 'felt very strongly' about the war, which prompted her to send a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin that was later published on social media. 'She's watched the same thing that you watch and I watch, I see things that you don't get to see. It's horrible. She has got a great love of children,' Trump said. Referring to their son, Barron Trump, the president joked, 'she has a wonderful son that she loves probably more than anybody including me.' 'I hate to say that but she loves her son, she loves children, she hates to see something like this happening.' Trump said that Mrs. Trump observed the heartbreak from parents of children and at the funerals in Ukraine. 'All these funerals, we want to see something other than funerals,' Trump said. The president said the first lady asked him to send a message from her ahead of his meeting with Zelensky and other European leaders. 'She would love to see it end. She says it very openly and very proudly and with great sorrow because so many people have been killed,' he added. Zelensky noted that Ukrainian children who were taken from Ukraine by the Russians need to be returned to their homes as part of the peace negotiations. European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen also shared her hopes that 'thousands' Ukrainian children would be returned to their families. 'As a mother and grandmother, every single child has to go back to its family. This should be one of our main priorities, to make sure that the children come back to Ukraine, to their families,' she said. The first lady's letter was revealed publicly after the president's meeting Friday with Russian President Vladimir Putin, in which she pleaded for him to move toward peace in the region for the sake of the children. 'Mr. Putin, you can singlehandedly restore their melodic laughter,' Mrs. Trump wrote. 'In protecting the innocence of these children, you will do more than serve Russia alone—you serve humanity itself.' Zelensky thanked Melania Trump for her letter, and added, 'this is so, so important and I am happy we discussed it.' 'Many thanks to your wife, the first lady of the United States. She sent a letter to Putin about our children,' Zelensky said to Trump. President Trump previously revealed that the first lady continues to bring to his attention Putin's attacks against Ukrainian civilians, even as he communicates with Putin about making a peace deal. 'My conversations with him are always very pleasant. I say, isn't that very lovely conversation? And then the missiles go off that night, I go home, I tell the first lady... I spoke with Vladimir today, we had a wonderful conversation. She [says]: "Oh, really, another city was just hit,"' Trump said in July.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store