No Ukraine ceasefire confirmed after Trump and Putin's meeting
The leaders met in a three-on-three meeting along with top advisers for a high-stakes summit in Alaska that could determine the trajectory of the war in Ukraine and the fate of European security.
Trump's allies have cast the US president as a heavyweight negotiator who can find a way to bring the slaughter to a close, something he used to boast he could do quickly.
For Putin, a summit with Trump offers a long-sought opportunity to try to negotiate a deal that would cement Russia's gains, block Kyiv's bid to join the NATO military alliance and eventually pull Ukraine back into Moscow's orbit.
There are significant risks for Trump: By bringing Putin onto US soil, the president is giving Russia's leader the validation he desires after his ostracisation following his invasion of Ukraine 3 1/2 years ago. Any success is far from assured, especially as Russia and Ukraine remain far apart in their demands for peace.
ADVERTISEMENT
Putin speaks first
Speaking in Russian, the President said he had greeted Trump as "dear neighbour," thankful to see him in good health.
Putin also said he and Trump "have very good, direct contact".
As Putin spoke, Trump stood about 1.8 or 2.1m away from him, at his own podium.
Putin said the US and Russia are close neighbours, separated by mere miles, so it made sense for the summit to be held in Alaska.
He said the talks were held "in a constructive and mutually respectful atmosphere," and were "very thorough and useful".
President Donald Trump greets Russia's President Vladimir Putin at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. (Source: Associated Press)
ADVERTISEMENT
Putin says there would be no war in Ukraine if Trump had been president in 2022
Trump has long claimed that Putin would never have invaded Ukraine if he had still been in the White House — and the Russian leader confirmed that argument at a news conference after their meeting.
Putin criticised former President Joe Biden without naming him and referenced Trump's argument about his presence being sufficient to stop the war.
"I can confirm that," Putin said through a translator.
Trump says he will fill Zelensky in on Putin meeting
The US president also said he would call European and NATO leaders to give them updates from his meeting with Putin.
Trump said "some great progress" was made in his bilateral meeting with the Russian president, saying "many points were agreed to," with just a "very few" remaining.
ADVERTISEMENT
Zelensky was not invited to the Alaska summit.
Trump and Putin did not take questions
After their nearly three-hour-long meeting, neither Trump nor Putin took questions from reporters after giving brief remarks. Putin said the two leaders had reached an "understanding", but neither offered further details.
At left is Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and second from right is Secretary of State Marco Rubio, August 15, 2025. (Source: Associated Press)
Putin suggests next meeting could be held in Moscow
Trump has spoken repeatedly in recent days about wanting to have a second meeting after the Alaska summit.
As they wrapped their statements after the summit, Putin said to Trump in English, "Next time in Moscow".
Trump responded, "I could see it possibly happening".
Neither leader announced that a second meeting would be held before they left the room without answering questions from reporters.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RNZ News
an hour ago
- RNZ News
Trump speaks with Zelensky, NATO leaders after summit with Putin
By Steve Holland and Kanishka Singh , Reuters Russian President Vladimir Putin US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Photo: AFP Donald Trump held a lengthy phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and subsequently spoke to NATO leaders after the US president's summit in Alaska with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the White House said. Trump held the calls on his way back to Washington, landing in the early hours of Saturday morning (local time). European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was among those on the call, in which Trump briefed European leaders about the summit, von der Leyen's spokesperson said. A NATO official said NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte also took part, while the Elysee confirmed French President Emmanuel Macron's participation. Leaders from Germany, Finland, Poland, Italy and Britain also joined the call, according to the European Commission. Axios reporter Barak Ravid said, citing a source, that Trump spoke for more than an hour and a half with Zelensky and European leaders. Zelensky later said he would travel to Washington on Monday. The highly anticipated summit in Alaska yielded no agreement to resolve or pause Russia's war in Ukraine, although both Trump and Putin described the talks as productive before heading home. During a brief appearance before the media following the nearly three-hour meeting in Alaska, the two leaders said they had made progress on unspecified issues. But they offered no details and took no questions. Trump also did not take questions when he landed in the United States at Joint Base Andrews. During his presidential campaign and upon taking office, Trump had vowed to quickly end the war in Ukraine that began with Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022 but has thus far failed to deliver on that promise. - Reuters
1News
4 hours ago
- 1News
Logan Church: What did the Trump-Putin summit actually achieve? Not much
1News US Correspondent Logan Church is in Anchorage, Alaska, for a Trump-Putin summit that ended with very little detail about anything. There was much excitement ahead of today's Trump-Putin summit in Alaska. Would a ceasefire be on the table? Would Trump push new, punishing economic sanctions on Russia if they didn't make measurable steps towards peace? Would Trump treat it only as a 'listening exercise', as also suggested? The White House has spent the week raising and lowering expectations at a breakneck speed. Well, it ended up being none of that. In fact, it's not clear if anything tangible was achieved at all. At a press conference with the two leaders, the Russian president (who unusually spoke first, as typically the host leader opens at these things), spoke at great lengths about Russia's historic and cultural ties to America, blamed the previous US president (Biden) for deteriorating relations, and said he was happy to have a good relationship again with America's leader. ADVERTISEMENT Trump, for his part – who seemed to be on first name basis with Putin, calling him 'Vladimir' at some point, said they'd reached agreements on some things. Not all things. Not the most important thing. What that was though no one knows – the pair didn't take any questions from a very enthusiastic press pack. Here's President's Trump's exact words: 'There were many, many points that we agreed on, most of them, I would say a couple of big ones that we haven't quite got there, but we've made some headway. So, there's no deal until there's a deal.' US President Donald Trump greets Russia's President Vladimir Putin at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. (Source: Associated Press) After a seven-hour flight from New York, I spent much of day speaking to people who turned up to protest Putin's arrival in America. Anchorage is not the metropolis of Manhattan – or even Auckland for that matter. It has about the same population as Wellington, but even Palmerston North feels more like a bustling city. Yet there were those who felt they had no choice but to take to the streets today. "We want to let everyone know that we support Ukraine – I was born in Ukraine – and we want Putin to know he isn't welcome here. He should not even be here. It is disgusting the Trump invited him here, but I'm not surprised,' said Lyuda, a Ukrainian American I spoke with outside the front gate of the summit location, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. ADVERTISEMENT Watch this story on TVNZ+ She had friends and family still in Ukraine – I asked if they were alright. 'For now,' she said. The fact Putin was a couple of kilometres from her was 'enough to make you throw up'. 'I don't know how to put it into words.' Further in the city, outside the offices of the local lawmakers, more protestors gathered, upset they leaders were not opposing Putin's presence. They wielded signs that read things like 'Take Trump Back to RUSSIA PLEASE!' and 'Alaska stands with UKRAINE'. ADVERTISEMENT Many also referenced the fact that the International Criminal Court has charged Putin with war crimes – even if the US doesn't recognise the authority of the ICC. '[Trump's] had a love affair with Putin for years, and it's kind of gone sour, but I think it's still on Trump is reading from every dictator's playbook and he's doing that in America right now,' said Mike Byerly. Sue Mauger was also outraged that Putin had been given the red-carpet welcome – quite literally – while Ukraine's president was instead treated to a shouting match in the Oval Office when he last visited. 'I think the real story there is that Trump is always looking for people who show strength, and [Volodymyr] Zelensky has shown to be a very empathetic and caring leader, and Trump sees no reflection of himself in that, but he sees himself in Putin. I think he is looking for a good mate,' she said. 'This whole idea of a peace summit without the real players at the table is absurd, and it feels just like an opportunity for strutting of some tail feathers.' US President Donald Trump greets Russia's President Vladimir Putin at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. (Source: Associated Press) So, who came out of today with a win? ADVERTISEMENT You can rule out Ukraine – they weren't even in the room. Donald Trump wants a deal made to end the war – he didn't get that, although the Trump-Putin bromance seems to back, with the pair laughing with each other about something in the back of Trump's armoured car (which is very against protocol). Vladimir Putin meanwhile got a hero's welcome from the leader of not just the US, but also the president of the most powerful nation inside of NATO, the alliance originally formed to counter growing Russian power. He also left without signing any ceasefire agreement, without Trump threatening harsher economic sanctions – all the while his troops continue to take Ukrainian territory. For the man who wrote The Art of the Deal, a deal – of any sort – seems a long way away.
1News
9 hours ago
- 1News
Putin says he and Trump reached an 'understanding' on Ukraine
Russian President Vladimir Putin said he and President Donald Trump have reached an "understanding" on Ukraine and warned Europe not to "torpedo the nascent progress". Speaking moments later, Trump said he'd yet to speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky but that he'd be speaking to him and European leaders soon. Trump and Putin kicked off their Alaska summit with a warm handshake on Saturday, greeting each other like old friends before heading into hours of discussions that could reshape the war in Ukraine and relations between Moscow and Washington. After descending from Air Force One, Trump applauded the Russian leader as Putin approached, walking along red carpets that had been placed for each leader. They gripped hands for an extended period of time, with both men smiling, and Putin eventually grinned and pointed skyward while their hands were still clasped. Uniformed military members stood at attention nearby at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, and B-2s and F-22s — military aircraft designed to oppose Russia during the Cold War — flew over to mark the moment. ADVERTISEMENT Reporters nearby yelled, 'President Putin, will you stop killing civilians?' and Putin put his hand up to his ear but didn't answer. Trump and Putin both climbed in the US presidential limo, with Putin grinning widely as the vehicle rolled past the cameras. President Donald Trump greets Russia's President Vladimir Putin at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. (Source: Associated Press) White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the previously planned one-on-one meeting between Trump and Putin is now a three-on-three meeting that will include Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff. Putin will be joined by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov. The change indicates that the White House is taking a more guarded approach than it did during a 2018 meeting in Helsinki, when Trump and Putin first met privately just with their interpreters for two hours. Putin and Trump are expected to hold a joint press conference at the end of the summit. The sit-down gives Trump a chance to prove to the world that he is both a master dealmaker and a global peacemaker. He and his allies have cast him as a heavyweight negotiator who can find a way to bring the slaughter to a close — something he used to boast he could do quickly. For Putin, a summit with Trump offers a long-sought opportunity to try to negotiate a deal that would cement Russia's gains, block Kyiv's bid to join the NATO military alliance and eventually pull Ukraine back into Moscow's orbit. Despite having so much at stake, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders aren't invited. There are significant risks for Trump. By bringing Putin onto US soil — America bought Alaska from Russia in 1867 for roughly 2 cents per acre — the president is giving him the validation he desires after his ostracisation following his invasion of Ukraine three and a half years ago. Zelensky's exclusion from Trump and Putin's first meeting is a heavy blow to the West's policy of 'nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine' and invites the possibility that Trump could agree to a deal that Ukraine does not want. ADVERTISEMENT Any success is far from assured because Russia and Ukraine remain far apart in their demands for peace. Putin has long resisted any temporary ceasefire, linking it to a halt in Western arms supplies and a freeze on Ukraine's mobilisation efforts, which are conditions rejected by Kyiv and its Western allies. "HIGH STAKES!!!" Trump posted shortly before he boarded Air Force One. President Donald Trump waves as he boards Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews. (Source: Associated Press) On his way to the meeting, Putin stopped in Magadan, in Russia's Far East, where he visited a factory producing omega-3 fish oil capsules, according to Russian state news agency RIA Novosti. Putin used the flight to review materials on Ukraine, tensions with the US, economic cooperation and global affairs, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in an interview with Russian state TV. Trump said earlier in the week there was a 25% chance that the summit would fail, but he also floated the idea that if the meeting succeeds, he could bring Zelensky to Alaska for a subsequent, three-way meeting. Trump has also expressed doubts about getting an immediate ceasefire, but he has wanted a broad peace deal done quickly. That seemingly echoes Putin's longtime argument that Russia favours a comprehensive deal to end the fighting, reflecting its demands, not a temporary halt to hostilities. Trump has offered shifting explanations for his meeting goals ADVERTISEMENT People attend a rally ahead to the meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, during a rally in front of the US Embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine (Source: Associated Press) Trump previously characterised the sit-down as 'really a feel-out meeting'. But he's also warned of 'very severe consequences' for Russia if Putin doesn't agree to end the war. Trump said that his talks with Putin will include Russian demands that Ukraine cede territory as part of a peace deal. He said Ukraine has to decide, but he also suggested Zelensky should accept concessions. 'I've got to let Ukraine make that decision. And I think they'll make a proper decision,' Trump told reporters travelling with him to Alaska. Trump said there's 'a possibility' of the United States offering Ukraine security guarantees alongside European powers, 'but not in the form of NATO'. Putin has fiercely resisted Ukraine joining the trans-Atlantic security alliance, a long-term goal for Ukrainians seeking to forge stronger ties with the West. Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, NATO's supreme allied commander Europe, is in Alaska to provide 'military advice' to Trump and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, according to a senior NATO military official who wasn't authorised to speak publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity. His presence is likely to be welcomed by European leaders who have tried to convince Trump to be firm with Putin and not deal over Kyiv's head. In this photo taken and distributed by Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Friday, Aug. 15, 2025, a Russian soldier carries an ammunition during a practice at a training ground during on an undisclosed location in Ukraine. (Source: Associated Press) ADVERTISEMENT On his way to Alaska, Trump sat for an interview on Air Force One with Fox News Channel's Bret Baier. In a clip posted online, he said he thought the meeting would 'work out very well — and if it doesn't, I'm going to head back home real fast'. 'I would walk, yeah,' he added, after a follow up question. Zelensky has time and again cast doubts on Putin's willingness to negotiate in good faith. His European allies, who've held increasingly urgent meetings with US leaders over the past week, have stressed the need for Ukraine to be involved in any peace talks. The summit could have far-reaching implications Foreign governments will be watching closely to see how Trump reacts to Putin, likely gauging what the interaction might mean for their own dealings with the US president, who has eschewed traditional diplomacy for his own transactional approach to relationships. The meeting comes as the war has caused heavy losses on both sides and drained resources. Ukraine has held on far longer than some initially expected since the February 2022 invasion, but it is straining to hold off Russia's much larger army, grappling with bombardments of its cities and fighting for every inch on the over 1000-kilometre front line. ADVERTISEMENT Ukrainians soldier hug their comrade after returning from captivity after a POWs exchange between Russia and Ukraine, in Chernyhiv region, Ukraine (Source: Associated Press) While some have objected to the location of the summit, Trump has said he thought it was 'very respectful' of Putin to come to the US instead of a meeting in Russia. Sergei Markov, a pro-Kremlin Moscow-based analyst, observed that the choice of Alaska as the summit's venue 'underlined the distancing from Europe and Ukraine'. Being on a military base allows the leaders to avoid protests and meet more securely, but the location carries its own significance because of its history and location. Alaska is separated from Russia at its closest point by just less than 5 kilometres and the International Date Line. Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson was crucial to countering the Soviet Union during the Cold War. It continues to play a role today, as planes from the base still intercept Russian aircraft that regularly fly into US airspace.
