Trump and Putin claim ‘great progress' – but leave Alaska early with no deal
'I have every reason to believe that moving down this path we can come – and the sooner the better – to the end of the conflict in Ukraine,' Putin said, according to the official translator.
A planned one-on-one meeting between Trump and Putin was replaced by a three-on-three meeting that also included US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, as well as Trump's envoy, Steve Witkoff, and Putin's foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov, a former Russian ambassador to the United States.
That meeting lasted about 2½ hours, and a mooted working lunch featuring other cabinet ministers was scrapped. Putin's jet departed Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage after just over five hours on the ground.
At the end of the press conference, Trump said he would speak to Putin again soon and probably see him again soon. Putin replied, in English: 'Next time in Moscow.'
Trump responded: 'Oh, that's an interesting one. I don't know, I'll get a little heat on that one, but I can see it possibly happening.'
The encounter marked the first time Putin has met a sitting US president since Joe Biden in 2021, before he launched his full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Putin which would make him liable for arrest in more than 120 countries. But on Friday (Saturday AEST) he was welcomed to American soil with a handshake from Trump, a photo opportunity and a short ride on the tarmac in the presidential car, the Beast.
There was no immediate response from Zelensky, and the news conference occurred in the middle of the night, European time. But in an earlier video message, he criticised ongoing Russian strikes on Ukraine, even as Putin departed for Alaska.
'On the day of negotiations they are killing as well, and that speaks volumes,' Zelensky said. 'Everyone needs a just end to the war. Ukraine is ready to work as productively as possible to bring the war to an end and we count on a strong position from America. Everything will depend on this – the Russians factor in American strength.'
John Herbst, a former US ambassador to Ukraine who is now senior director of the Atlantic Council's Eurasia Centre, said he would withhold judgment until details of the meeting were reported and confirmed.
Television network Newsmax reported Putin had dropped his objection to teaching the Ukrainian language in Russian-controlled areas of Ukraine, and that discussions would continue about how to implement a ceasefire.
'If you go simply by what we saw at the very, very brief, un-Trump-like press conference, it looked like he really didn't get anything from Putin to justify calling it a productive meeting,' Herbst said.
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He said it looked as though Russia was set to escape further US sanctions, which would be a victory for Putin.
Dora Chomiak, the chief executive of US-based Ukrainian charity Razom, said Putin remained the sole obstacle to peace.
'The idea that Putin believes there is a positive deal for him in the near future is deeply alarming,' she said in Anchorage.
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