The meeting between Trump and Putin in Alaska raises expectations about a possible mediating role for the United States in the Russia-Ukraine war, though no immediate progress was
Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump held a much-anticipated meeting on Saturday in Alaska, United States, presented as a first step toward exploring ways to end the Russia-Ukraine war. While no concrete agreements were reached, the political gesture was seen as significant for both powers.
During a televised meeting with senior Kremlin officials, Putin described the summit as “frank, substantive, and extremely useful.” He emphasized that it was the first direct negotiation at this level in a long time and insisted the talks “bring us closer to the necessary decisions” for a possible peace agreement.
Trump, for his part, thanked Putin for the tone of the discussion and left the door open to another meeting, possibly in Moscow. “It was a respectful and necessary conversation,” Trump said before leaving Anchorage, stressing that his goal is to “find real options to stop the conflict.”
LIVE | Russian President Vladimir Putin and his counterpart, U.S. President Donald Trump, have arrived in Alaska ahead of the much-anticipated peace summit aimed at finding a solution to end the war in Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/33MBpVZgYH
— SABC News (@SABCNews) August 15, 2025
International experts interpreted the meeting as a symbolic victory for Putin, who managed to partially emerge from international isolation without making immediate concessions, and for Trump, who seeks to position himself as a mediator in a war that has destabilized Europe and strained global relations.
The summit took place at Elmendorf-Richardson Air Base, outside Anchorage, where Trump welcomed Putin with a red carpet and a cordial demeanor.
It was Putin’s first visit to U.S. soil since 2015, when he met with then-President Barack Obama, and his first meeting with a U.S. leader since launching the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
The White House had warned in advance not to expect major breakthroughs from the meeting. Trump himself said he wanted to “listen and evaluate” Putin directly before deciding whether it was possible to push for a cease-fire without territorial concessions—a red line for Kyiv that Washington acknowledges.
The U.S. delegation included Secretary of State Marco Rubio; special envoy for the Middle East and Kremlin mediator Steve Witkoff; Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent; Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick; Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth; and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles.
On the Russian side, Putin was accompanied by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov; senior adviser Yuri Ushakov; Defense Minister Andrei Belousov; Finance Minister Anton Siluanov; and sovereign wealth fund chief Kiril Dmitriev.
The most notable absentee was Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who expressed cautious skepticism while “waiting” for the outcome. “I am counting on Trump to help stop Russian aggression, even though soldiers continue to die during these talks,” Zelensky said.
What remains uncertain is whether this dialogue will mark a turning point in the Russia-Ukraine war or remain a symbolic move with little immediate impact.
Meanwhile, Kyiv announced it had recaptured six villages in the eastern front in recent days.
The parties remain far apart. Moscow demands that Ukraine renounce NATO membership and cede the regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, and Crimea, annexed in 2014. Kyiv insists on an immediate and unconditional cease-fire, along with future security guarantees.
Trump has floated the idea of “mutual concessions” involving territory, but both Zelensky and several European allies reject this outright.
Analysts say this first contact could mark the beginning of a longer process, though the gesture alone already represents a noteworthy shift. Some observers welcome Trump’s attempt at mediation, while others fear it could strengthen Putin’s international standing in the midst of war.
