Falsehoods swirl around Trump-Putin summit
"Malign actors (have) flooded the internet and social media with falsehoods and distortions" that were "circulating from across the political spectrum and across the globe," disinformation watchdog NewsGuard said in a report.
Among them was the unfounded claim that American soldiers had recently shot and killed a Ukrainian assassin named Stefan Orestovych, a supposed trained sniper for Ukraine's special forces, in the Alaskan city of Wasilla.
There was no evidence that an assassin by that name even exists.
The falsehood, which circulated on X, Instagram, a QAnon conspiracy theory platform as well as a Sri Lankan news website, originated on Real Raw News, according to NewsGuard.
A self-proclaimed "humor, parody, and satire" site, Real Raw News is often mistaken as a legitimate news outlet and has repeatedly been called out by researchers for publishing fabricated claims about the Russia-Ukraine war as well as American officials and politicians.
Trump critics online have also falsely claimed that Putin signed a decree in January last year declaring Russia's sale of Alaska to the United States "illegal," while mocking the US president for hosting a leader who purportedly rejected American sovereignty over the territory.
Putin was "preparing the future annexation of Alaska and Trump fell for it," one user wrote on X, an unfounded claim that has also spread across Bluesky and TikTok.
The United States bought Alaska in 1867 from Russia, and there was no evidence that Putin had signed such a decree.
Meanwhile, pro-Kremlin nationalist accounts on social media were circulating an image of a fake "People's Republic of Alaska" flag, using the summit to assert that the territory rightfully belonged to Russia.
The images were being spread online by Russian nationalist media outlets as well as the Pravda network, a well-resourced Moscow-based operation known to circulate pro-Russian narratives globally.
"The fake flag is the latest instalment in a decades-old narrative pushed by ultra-nationalists in Russia, framing the Nineteenth Century sale of Alaska as a national betrayal," NewsGuard report said.
The swirling misinformation underscores how easily online falsehoods can originate and spread around a high-profile event, especially across tech platforms that have largely scaled back content moderation.
Trump extended the invitation for the summit at the Russian leader's suggestion.
The meeting will be closely followed by European leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who was not included and has publicly refused pressure from Trump to surrender territory seized by Russia.
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France 24
28 minutes ago
- France 24
Red carpet welcome but no Ukraine deal : key takeaways from the Trump-Putin summit
US President Donald Trump failed to secure an agreement from Vladimir Putin on Friday to end Russia's war in Ukraine, falling short in his most significant move yet to stop the bloodshed, even after rolling out the red carpet for the man who started it. After about 2 1/2 hours of talks at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, the two leaders appeared before reporters for what had been billed as a joint news conference — but they took no questions. 'We had an extremely productive meeting and many points were agreed to, there are just a very few that are left,' Trump said. 'We didn't get there, but we have a very good chance of getting there.' Putin, welcomed into the US after being shunned by Western allies since early 2022 for ordering the invasion of Ukraine, thanked Trump for hosting the meeting and suggested with a chuckle that the next time the two sit down it could be in Moscow. Here are key takeaways from the summit: Putin got a red carpet welcome and even rode in Trump's presidential limousine from the tarmac to the summit venue. There, the pair were joined by two of their top aides: Secretary of State and national security adviser Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff for Trump and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and national security adviser Yuri Ushakov for Putin. 06:12 Putin, who spoke first after the meeting concluded, lauded the historical relationship between the United States, Russia and the former Soviet Union, recalling joint missions conducted by the two countries during World War II. He said the US and Russia share values, a standard talking point for Russian officials when trying to woo Trump and his aides. Putin also noted that Trump has frequently said the Ukraine war wouldn't have happened had he won the 2020 election. "I think that would have been the case," the Russian leader said, a comment sure to please Trump. However, there is no indication and no way to prove that Moscow would have acted differently toward Ukraine had Democrat Joe Biden not been elected. Trump had gone into the meeting hoping to get Putin to agree to a ceasefire with Ukraine — or at least a commitment from Russia to enter into negotiations to reach one. 'There's no deal until there's a deal' Instead, Trump conceded that 'we haven't quite got there' and said he would be conferring with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and NATO leaders about next steps. Trump said he and Putin had made some significant progress toward the goal of ending the conflict but gave no details on what that entailed and had to acknowledge that they had been unable to bridge substantial gaps. 'I believe we had a very productive meeting,' Trump said. 'We haven't quite got there, but we've made some headway. So, there's no deal until there's a deal.' In a subsequent conversation with Sean Hannity of Fox News Channel, Trump again offered no details on his discussions with Putin. Amid drawn-out diplomatic moves to end the war, time is appears to be on Putin's side. That gives a leg up to Russian forces, who have used their larger numbers to slowly grind down defenses in eastern Ukraine 3 1/2 years into the conflict. Putin got a pleasant reception from the leader of the free world on U.S. soil and walked away hours later without either providing details on what they discussed, whether a ceasefire was any closer to reality or what the next steps would be. 'Turn the page' Putin praised Trump for the 'friendly' tone of the talks — Trump said nothing publicly about the killing of Ukrainian civilians in Moscow's attacks — and for 'understanding that Russia has its own national interests.' Putin said Moscow and Washington should 'turn the page,' with relations having sunk to the lowest point since the Cold War. Putin appearing in the U.S. for the first time in 10 years was celebrated as a sign that Moscow was no longer a pariah on the global stage. In a social media post, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told followers that the Western press would be on the verge of 'losing their minds.' 'For three years, they talked about Russia's isolation, and today they saw the red carpet being rolled out to greet the Russian president in the United States,' she said. Lack of achievements Both men said the talks were 'productive' but the lack of any announcement of solid achievements was revealing. The news conference ended up being less than 15 minutes of rather standard diplomatic comments — and gave no indication that any concrete results were achieved — and offered little departure from their previous comments on the war in Ukraine. Trump has made it a feature of his second term to parry questions from reporters in front of world leaders, but in the clearest sign of his disappointment, the president abruptly cut short his plans to take questions. Trump had gone into the summit saying here was a 25% chance that the summit would fail and that it was meant to be a 'feel-out meeting,' but he had also floated the idea of bringing Zelenskyy to Alaska for a subsequent, three-way meeting if things went well. It's unclear what comes next.
France 24
2 hours ago
- France 24
Pomp and flattery – but no Ukraine ceasefire – as Trump-Putin talks end without a deal
Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin on Friday made no breakthrough on Ukraine at their much-anticipated summit, pointing to areas of agreement and rekindling a friendship but offering no news on a ceasefire. Trump, fond of calling himself a master deal-maker, rolled out the red carpet for Putin at an Alaska air base in the first time the Russian leader was allowed on Western soil since he ordered the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. After an abrupt ending to nearly three hours of talks with aides, Trump and Putin exchanged warm words and flatteries during a brief press conference – but took no questions from reporters. "We're not there yet, but we've made progress. There's no deal until there's a deal," Trump said. He called the meeting "extremely productive" with "many points" agreed, although he did not offer specifics. "There are just a very few that are left, some are not that significant, one is probably the most significant," Trump said without elaborating. 12:17 Putin also spoke in general terms of cooperation in a joint press appearance that lasted just 12 minutes. "We hope that the understanding we have reached will... pave the way for peace in Ukraine," Putin said. As Trump mused about a second meeting, Putin smiled and said in English: "Next time in Moscow." Flattering Trump The former KGB agent quickly tried to flatter Trump, who has voiced admiration for the Russian leader in the past. Putin told Trump he agreed with him that the Ukraine war, which Putin ordered, would not have happened if Trump were president instead of Joe Biden. Trump for his part again complained of a "hoax" that Russia intervened to help him the 2016 election – a finding backed by US intelligence. The friendly reception was a stark contrast to Trump's berating of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky when he met him at the White House in February. Trump earlier said he sought a three-way meeting with Zelensky but did not announce one at the summit. Trump said he would now consult Zelensky as well as NATO leaders, who have voiced unease about the US leader's outreach to Putin. "Now it's really up to President Zelensky to get it done," Trump said in a Fox News interview after the summit. Putin warned Ukraine and European countries to "not create any obstacles" and not "make attempts to disrupt this emerging progress through provocation or behind-the-scenes intrigues." Trump invited Putin just a week ago and ensured there was some carefully choreographed drama for their first in-person meeting since 2019. The two leaders arrived in their respective presidential jets and descended on the tarmac of an air base, with Trump clapping as Putin appeared. The Russian leader grinned widely as Trump took the unusual step of escorting him into "The Beast," the secure US presidential limousine, a landmark for a leader who is facing an arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court over the Ukraine war, which has killed tens of thousands of people. Battlefield gains Russia in recent days has made battlefield gains that could strengthen Putin's hand in any ceasefire negotiations, although Ukraine announced as Putin was flying in that it had retaken several villages. Trump had insisted he would be firm with Putin, after coming under heated criticism for appearing cowed during a 2018 summit in Helsinki. While he was traveling to Alaska, the White House announced that Trump had scrapped a plan to see Putin alone and he instead held the talks alongside Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his roving envoy Steve Witkoff. Zelensky was not included and has refused pressure from Trump to surrender territory seized by Russia. "It is time to end the war, and the necessary steps must be taken by Russia. We are counting on America," Zelensky said in a social media post. The Alaska 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 600-mile (1,000-kilometer) front line. When asked about his advice to Zelensky, Trump told Fox News after the Putin talks: "Gotta make a deal. Yeah. Look, Russia is a very big power, and they're not. They're great soldiers."
France 24
7 hours ago
- France 24
Made-for-TV pageantry as Trump brings Putin in from cold
In made-for-television images, Putin and Trump each flew in their presidential planes to Elmendorf Air Base, the largest US military installation in Alaska that played a key role in monitoring the Soviet Union. Trump waited in Air Force One until Putin landed and then stepped down to the tarmac, clapping as he saw the Russian leader for the first time since 2019, this time under a frigid slate-gray sky. They then walked toward each other, smiled and shook hands before posing together on a stage that read, "Alaska 2025." In a highly unusual move, Putin stepped in "The Beast," the ultra-secure US presidential limousine, alongside Trump before they headed into talks that were set to focus on Ukraine. Putin grinned widely and appeared to joke to reporters as the two started their meeting in a room which the American hosts emblazoned with words -- written only in English -- "Pursuing Peace." The reception was a striking contrast to a White House meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in February, when Trump as Vice President JD Vance berated him and accused him of ingratitude. Zelensky was long hailed across the Western world. Putin by contrast has curtailed his travel sharply since he sent troops to invade Ukraine, and he faces an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court related to the war. Pressing their power Putin was quickly confronted on the war as a reporter repeatedly and loudly shouted out to him, "When will you stop killing civilians?" Putin did not react. And both aides ahead of the summit sought to press their message, sometimes in unsubtle ways. As Putin walked in, a B-2 stealth bomber -- an ultimate symbol of US military power -- flew overhead. Sergei Lavrov, the veteran Russian foreign minister rarely seen out of a jacket and tie, was photographed arriving ahead of Putin in Alaska in a sweatshirt emblazoned with "CCCP" -- the USSR -- in a reminder of the superpower status that Putin has been striving to recreate. Senior Russian officials were temporarily relieved from the severe US sanctions in place since the Ukraine invasion, allowing them not just to arrive in the United States but to carry out day-to-day transactions such as withdrawing money from cash machines. Putin and Trump were not expected to step off the base, but activists held out hope of at least a fleeting protest by posting blue-and-yellow Ukrainian flags on roofs that could be in eyesight if either leader stared out of a plane window on their descent. Protesters also taped signs to lampposts and walls near the downtown convention center where journalists picked up accreditations and the occasional Russian official may have strolled. One sign with a portrait of Putin read, "This war criminal kidnaps children." With just a week to prepare since Trump announced the summit, Anchorage was strained to capacity with hotels full of prebooked tourists on fishing expeditions and coastal cruises who had no warning that their summer destination would become the focus of global diplomacy. Russian journalists, unable to secure accommodation, posted disapproving pictures of staying inside a sporting arena, where they slept on cots partitioned off from one another by black curtains. The US hosts served the Russian journalists a selection of familiar foods -- shashlik meat skewers, grilled fish and, in a common dish for Russians that suddenly could take on another meaning, chicken Kiev.
