President Donald Trump and Russia’s President Vladimir Putin communicate, Friday, Aug. 15, 2025, at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska.
Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP
conceal caption
toggle caption
Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – It used to be a summit thrown in combination only a week after it used to be first introduced, marked by means of cinematic thrives as the 2 presidents arrived at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, sooner than strolling a pink carpet in combination as bomber and fighter jets roared overhead.
All sides billed it as crucial assembly. However whilst the staging perceived to had been readied on time, the diplomatic script gave the impression to not had been written upfront, and no transparent effects or primary bulletins emerged from the talks.
The in depth shuttle required to the army web page outdoor Anchorage lasted some distance longer than the real talks. Whilst a banner at the back of Presidents Trump and Putin at a press convention after their discussions learn “Pursuing Peace,” the U.S. chief by no means as soon as discussed the phrase “peace” in his remarks.
Trump saved his remark uncharacteristically quick, and didn’t seem in particular proud of what had transpired in his assembly with Putin.
“There have been many, many issues that we agreed on. Maximum of them, I might say a few giant ones that we have not rather were given there, however we now have made some headway,” stated Trump, with out elaborating on the main points.
Forward of the summit, he’d stated he sought after to stroll away with a ceasefire — despite the fact that every now and then within the days main as much as the assembly, he additionally sought to decrease expectancies by means of announcing it used to be with reference to feeling issues out, or surroundings the desk for a 2d assembly.
The reactions from leaders and legislators international — with the notable exception of the ones in Russia —every now and then expressed a measure of hope, however steadily unhappiness too.
U.S. legislators weigh in with complaint, wary optimism
Trump once more postponed more potent sanctions on Russia, regardless of Putin’s refusal to publicly decide to a ceasefire with Ukraine.
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin listens as President Donald Trump discuss all the way through a information convention at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Friday, Aug. 15, 2025.
Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP
conceal caption
toggle caption
Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP
“I believe I wouldn’t have to take into consideration that now,” Trump stated when requested about this all the way through an interview with Fox Information after the assembly.
Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, the rating Democrat at the Senate’s Overseas Family members Committee, stated Trump seemed “to had been performed over again by means of Vladimir Putin.”
In a remark launched by means of her place of job, Shaheen stated Trump had “rolled out a pink carpet and warmly greeted a murderous dictator on American soil and experiences point out he were given not anything concrete in go back.”
Shaheen stated she used to be “inspired” that Trump had promised to debrief Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in addition to Ecu allies, but additionally voiced impatience.
“Sufficient is sufficient. If President Trump may not act, Congress should accomplish that decisively by means of passing crushing sanctions.”
Trump instructed Fox Information that he anticipated a trilateral summit, involving each Putin and Zelenskyy, to occur quickly. Alaskan Senator Lisa Murkowski, a Republican who has been prepared to stifle Trump’s legislative efforts over time, had expressed skepticism concerning the assembly previous this week.
However she wrote on social media that she used to be “cautiously positive concerning the indicators that some stage of development used to be made” and stated it used to be “encouraging to listen to each presidents reference long run conferences, which I’m hoping will come with Ukraine.”
South Carolinian Republican Senator Lindsey Graham echoed the ones sentiments, however advised the choices could be disastrous for Putin and Russia.
“If there is a trilateral assembly between President @realdonaldtrump, President Zelensky and Putin, then I’m cautiously positive that this battle will finish neatly sooner than Christmas,” he wrote on X. “If the assembly does not occur, I believe President Trump might ship serious penalties to Putin and those that purchase his oil and gasoline.”
Trump passes ball to Ukraine, and Zelenskyy
After the summit, Trump additionally instructed Fox Information it used to be now as much as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to “get it finished” and stated he would inform Zelenskyy to “make the deal.”
“Glance: Russia is an excessively giant energy, and they are no longer,” Trump stated within the interview.
However the response from lawmakers in Kyiv used to be some distance from enthusiastic.
“It sort of feels Putin has purchased himself extra time,” Oleksiy Honcharenko, a Ukrainian lawmaker wrote on Telegram. “No cease-fire or any roughly de-escalation has been agreed upon.”
In a publish on X, Zelenskyy stated he had permitted a call for participation to satisfy with Trump in Washington D.C. on Monday, “to speak about all the main points relating to finishing the killing and the battle.”
He went on to emphasise the significance of Ecu involvement to verify dependable safety promises along the U.S., noting “sure indicators from the American aspect relating to participation in making certain Ukraine’s safety.”
He added that Ukraine continues to coordinate with all companions and thanked everybody aiding within the effort.
Response amongst Russia delegation
At a time when President Putin is not able to consult with greater than 100 countries, out of concern he may well be arrested because of warrants issued by means of the World Legal Court docket (ICC), the shuttle to Alaska highlighted American exceptionalism. America isn’t birthday celebration to the treaties governing the ICC.
U.S. leaders have time and again criticized the courtroom’s movements, and feature not too long ago sanctioned officers there, because of its movements towards Israel. The summit thus equipped a gap for the Russian chief to as soon as once more stand on a world level with any other global chief. He spoke at duration all the way through the click convention with Trump, referencing an settlement the 2 males had made that may “pave the trail in opposition to peace in Ukraine” — with out, once more, disclosing any main points.
FILE – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy seems with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz following talks with Ecu and U.S. leaders in Berlin, Germany, Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025.
Ebrahim Noroozi/AP
conceal caption
toggle caption
Ebrahim Noroozi/AP
“We think that Kyiv and Ecu capitals will understand that constructively and that they may not throw a wrench within the works,” Putin added, a jab on the function many Ecu leaders have performed in supporting Zelenskyy in his dealings with the Trump White Space in contemporary months.
He stated he was hoping Ecu leaders would “no longer make any makes an attempt to make use of some backroom dealings to habits provocations to torpedo the nascent development.”
Putin’s spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, who had travelled to Alaska too, described the assembly between Trump and Putin as “very sure,” and defined that there have been no use for both chief to box questions from the small military of assembled reporters, as a result of their statements have been “exhaustive,” in line with state-controlled RIA Novosti.
The Russian spokesman stated the Alaska dialog may just assist the 2 males “expectantly transfer ahead in combination” alongside a trail that may in finding choices for peace.
Europeans stay key to a ceasefire
In Europe, the place leaders had labored arduous in contemporary days to make stronger Ukraine’s diplomatic place within the talks, regardless of Zelenskyy’s absence, there used to be some extent of anger amongst lawmakers in some nations.
Marko Mihkelson, the Chairman of the Overseas Affairs Committee of the Estonian Parliament, wrote on social media that the assembly “used to be no marvel. Putin sought after to humiliate the United States — and he succeeded.”
He stated Trump had to position “actual drive on Russia” if he sought after to turn into a vulnerable hand right into a profitable one.
The feedback by means of Putin about Europe’s attainable to dam development consisted of “gaslighting and veiled threats,” wrote Lithuania’s protection minister Dovile Sakaliene on X, noting that within the hours sooner than the assembly, Russian forces had persevered to “bomb civilians in Ukraine.
“The Czech Overseas Minister Jan Lipavsky expressed gratitude for Trump’s makes an attempt to forge a peace deal, but additionally warned about propaganda efforts by means of the Kremlin. “The issue is Russian imperialism,” he wrote on X. “If Putin have been thinking about peace talks, he do not need been attacking Ukraine all day.”
