President Trump said he and Russian President Vladimir Putin made “significant progress” in Alaska but stopped short of announcing any decisive agreement about ending war.
Speaking later on Fox, Trump said the responsibility now lies with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to pursue a ceasefire, adding that a meeting between Zelensky and Putin will be arranged soon. “They both want me present,” Trump claimed.
The two leaders spent roughly six hours in Alaska and described the talks as constructive, but provided few specifics. Neither took questions after delivering prepared statements before departing.
Trump and Putin sat down in Alaska summit to dig out possible ceasefire plan for Russia-Ukraine war, on Friday.
Notably this was Trump- Putin first face to face talks since 2019 amidst a backdrop reading "Pursuing Peace."
However, these negotiations have caused alarm in Kyiv and in Europe, where government officials fear Trump is willing to sacrifice Ukraine s sovereignty by allowing Russia to control about one-fifth of Ukrainian land. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who has been kept out of the negotiations, warned against any agreement that puts the war on ice on Moscow s terms.
Also Read: Arab Nations strongly react to Netanyahu’s ‘Greater Israel’ comments
Speaking to reporters before departure, Trump insisted he would not negotiate on Ukraine’s behalf. “I’m not here to make deals for Ukraine—I’m here to get them to the table,” he said, stressing his priority was “a rapid ceasefire” and declaring, “I want the killing to stop.”
In summit Trump was joined at the first set of talks by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special Russia envoy Steve Witkoff. A later bigger bilateral meeting also included Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Chief of Staff Susie Wiles. Putin s team included Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and senior adviser Yury Ushakov.
It is important to mention here that for Trump, achieving a truce in the three-and-a-half-year conflict would not only be a turning point in Europe but also further his reputation as a worldwide mediator—quite possibly propelling his candidacy for a Nobel Peace Prize.
