US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin concluded the Alaska summit without a ceasefire or agreement on August 16. The meeting lasted almost 3 hours and drew global attention to the prospects of peace in Eastern Europe. Trump said, “There’s no deal until there’s a deal,” while Putin claimed they reached an “understanding” and warned Europe not to undermine progress.

The summit began with a vivid show of power and symbolism as Trump welcomed Putin with a red carpet and a row of F-22 Raptor fighter jets at Elmendorf Air Force Base. 

Putin urged the US and Russia to return to cooperation, praising Trump as a leader who understands both nations’ interests. He repeated Moscow’s stance that ending the war requires addressing its “root causes” and restoring the European security balance.

Trump described his relationship with Putin as “fantastic” and said only a few issues remain unresolved, with one “most significant.” He expressed optimism but gave no details on what was discussed.

Trump told Fox News after his Friday meeting with Putin that he would rate the day as “a 10” on a scale of one to 10.

Zelenskyy left out, but is waiting

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was not invited to the talks. He said Ukraine hopes for a strong US stance, stressing that Russia “is still killing people” and has given no signs of ending the war.

Demonstrators gathered in Anchorage, Alaska, to show solidarity with Ukraine and protest the presence of Russian President Vladimir Putin on US soil, Al Jazeera reported. One sign depicted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy – pointedly absent from the day’s talks, alongside the caption, “Dude, where’s my invite?”

Hints at a second meeting

Putin invited Trump to visit Moscow, making the offer during a press conference after their high-stakes Alaska summit on resolving the Ukraine conflict. “Next time in Moscow,” Putin told Trump in English after the US leader thanked him and noted they would “probably see each other again very soon.” 

Trump responded, “Oh, that’s an interesting one. I’ll get a little heat on that one, but I could see it possibly happening.”

Both leaders declined to take questions after their joint statements, according to the media reports.

Military jets flew over the base as Putin arrived. The Kremlin released clips of the two smiling and chatting before the talks. Putin travelled in a Russian-made Aurus limousine.

US-Russia relations beyond Ukraine

Trump said there’s a “possibility” of US security guarantees for Ukraine, but not via NATO. He also hinted at being open to business talks with Putin if progress is made on Ukraine.

While the summit took place, Trump’s administration clashed with local leaders over control of DC’s police department, sparking legal battles and street protests. Trump said he will not be happy without movement toward a ceasefire and warned he could “walk” if talks go badly in the future.