Trump-Putin summit ends without Ukraine deal
The White House and Kremlin leaders pointed to areas of agreement during their three hours of talks, but offered no breakthrough on a ceasefire in the conflict that has left tens of thousands dead and caused widespread destruction in Ukraine.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said he will now go to Washington on Monday while key European presidents and prime ministers held protracted talks on Saturday after Trump briefed them on the summit. Trump had a 'lengthy call' with Zelensky on the flight back to Washington, according to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen later joined the call, a European Commission spokesperson said.
The European leaders, who had been wary of being left out of the Alaska meeting, held their own talks afterwards. Ukraine announced meanwhile that Russia had launched 85 attack drones and a ballistic missile during the night after the summit.
Zelensky said Trump informed him about the 'main points' of the summit at a former Cold War air base in Alaska. 'On Monday, I will meet with President Trump in Washington, DC, to discuss all of the details regarding ending the killing and the war,' he added. 'I am grateful for the invitation.' Trump and Putin emerged from their talks to offer warm words at a press briefing 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, but 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.
'Next time in Moscow'
Putin also spoke in general terms of cooperation at the 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.' 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 when the invasion was launched in 2022.Before the summit, Trump had warned of 'severe consequences' if Russia did not accept a ceasefire.
But when asked about those consequences during a Fox News interview after the talks, Trump said that 'because of what happened today, I think I don't have to think about that now.'
Putin warns Western allies
Trump, whose tone with Zelensky has changed since he berated the Ukrainian president at the White House in February, said he had wanted a three-way meeting with Zelensky.
'Now it's really up to President Zelensky to get it done,' Trump said in the 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 Trump clapped as Putin appeared from his presidential jet at the air base. US military might was on display with a B-2 stealth bomber flying overhead, as a reporter shouted audibly to Putin, 'Will you stop killing civilians?'
Putin grinned widely as Trump took the unusual step of escorting him into 'The Beast,' the US presidential limousine, before a meeting in a room before a screen that said—in English only—'Pursuing Peace.' Putin smiled and joked with Russian reporters on the visit, a landmark for a leader who is facing an arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court related to the Ukraine war.
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 travelling 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 special 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. — AFP
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