Trump, Putin End Alaska Summit Without Ukraine Ceasefire Deal
(FILES) Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) and US President Donald Trump shake hands before a meeting in Helsinki on July 16, 2018. US President Donald Trump said on August 8, 2025 he would meet with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on August 15 in Alaska, as the Republican billionaire hopes to help mediate an end to the war in Ukraine. (Photo by Brendan Smialowski / AFP)
Former U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin ended their high-profile meeting in Alaska on Friday without reaching a ceasefire agreement on the Ukraine war.
The three-hour talks, attended by aides, concluded with both leaders expressing optimism but offering no concrete breakthroughs. Trump described the summit as “extremely productive,” noting that “many points” had been agreed upon, though he provided no details. “We’re not there yet, but we’ve made progress. There’s no deal until there’s a deal,” he said.
Putin echoed the sentiment, saying the discussions could “pave the way for peace in Ukraine.” He also flattered Trump by suggesting the war might not have occurred if Trump had been U.S. president instead of Joe Biden.
Both leaders avoided taking questions from reporters, an unusual move for the media-savvy Trump. After the meeting, Trump softened his earlier threats of “severe consequences” for Russia if it rejected a ceasefire, telling Fox News he no longer needed to consider such measures “because of what happened today.”
The summit ended on a cordial note, with Putin inviting Trump to hold their next meeting in Moscow.
