U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin met on Aug. 15 for practically three hours at a navy base in Alaska as a part of a U.S.-led effort to deliver Russia and Ukraine into peace talks.
Trump was joined by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and particular presidential envoy Steve Witkoff, and Putin was joined by Russian International Minister Sergey Lavrov and presidential overseas affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov.
In a joint press convention after the summit, each leaders described the assembly as productive, however the two sides didn’t attain a concrete deal. The U.S. president is because of discuss with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and NATO within the hopes of convening an additional assembly to finish the conflict.
Listed here are the important thing takeaways.
‘No Deal Till There’s a Deal’: Trump
At a short press convention after their assembly, each leaders mentioned progress had been made within the talks. They didn’t present specifics or take questions from reporters.
Trump instructed reporters that there have been “only a only a few” points to resolve. Some weren’t that important, however “one might be essentially the most important,” he mentioned, with out offering particulars.
“There’s no deal till there’s a deal,” Trump mentioned.
“We didn’t get there, however we’ve an excellent likelihood of getting there,” he added.
The 2 leaders didn’t point out a cease-fire or different key parts of negotiations, corresponding to safety ensures for Ukraine or additional U.S. sanctions on Russia and its supporters.
When later requested what key factors the 2 sides disagreed on, Trump declined to say.
Trump additionally instructed Fox Information host Sean Hannity that he gained’t instantly think about extra secondary tariffs on patrons of Russian oil, corresponding to China, however could at a later date.
“Due to what occurred as we speak, I feel I don’t have to consider that now. I could have to consider it in two or three weeks,” the president mentioned about potential tariffs in opposition to China for getting fossil fuels from Russia.
The U.S. authorities not too long ago elevated tariffs to 50 % for imports from India, one of many main patrons of Russian oil.
Pink Carpet and Flyover
Forward of the summit, each leaders stepped out from their presidential plane and joined one another on a pink carpet on the tarmac at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska’s largest navy facility.
Because the leaders walked down the pink carpet for an opportunity to take a photograph collectively, a U.S. Air Drive B-2 Spirit stealth bomber and 4 F-35 Lightning II stealth fighters carried out a flyover.The 2 leaders stood on a podium emblazoned with the phrases “Alaska 2025” for a photograph op, as reporters shouted questions.
After one reporter shouted, “President Putin, will you cease killing civilians?” Putin pointed to his ear and shrugged, suggesting he couldn’t hear the query.
Putin then rode with Trump in “The Beast,” the U.S. president’s closely armored limousine, to the summit location.
The assembly was Putin’s first go to to the USA since a United Nations Normal Meeting assembly in New York in 2015 and his first go to to a NATO nation since a working go to to Germany in 2020.
Putin Highlights Safety
On the post-meeting press convention, Putin mentioned that Russia would proceed to hunt to “eradicate all the first roots” of the battle in Ukraine and to handle “basic threats to [Russian] safety.”
These two phrases have been utilized by Putin and Russian state media all through the conflict to confer with Russia’s demand that Ukraine be prohibited from becoming a member of NATO or different comparable worldwide organizations.
Simply days earlier than launching his full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Putin delivered an address describing the potential accession of Ukraine to NATO as “a direct risk to the safety of Russia.”
Ukraine has expressed curiosity in becoming a member of NATO however has by no means been formally thought of for membership.
The Russian chief additionally appeared to make reference to NATO’s growth into Jap Europe in current a long time, which Moscow says is a risk to Russian sovereignty.
“All of Russia’s reliable issues have to be taken into consideration, and a good steadiness within the safety sphere in Europe and the world as an entire have to be restored,” Putin mentioned.
The Russian chief additionally mentioned, “We agree with President Trump, as he has mentioned as we speak, naturally, that the safety of Ukraine needs to be ensured as nicely.”
Putin Hopes for Hotter Ties With US
Putin, throughout the press convention, described the enterprise his nation had misplaced in recent times and the reasonable enhance in bilateral commerce since Trump returned to workplace. The Russian chief additionally described Trump as a “good, businesslike, and reliable contact.”
“I count on that as we speak’s settlement would be the start line not just for the answer of the Ukrainian situation, but in addition will assist us deliver again business-like and pragmatic relations between Russia and the U.S.,” Putin mentioned.
Putin nonetheless acknowledged that U.S.–Russia relations had been at their “lowest level because the Chilly Struggle” however described Trump’s effort to resolve the conflict in Ukraine and invitation to Alaska as “very neighborly.”
Trump to Relay Particulars of Assembly to Ukraine, NATO
Though each leaders stored mum on the exact nature of their sticking factors, Trump mentioned that the route of the peace course of was finally as much as Ukraine and, to a lesser extent, the remainder of Europe.
“I’m going to start out making just a few cellphone calls and inform them what occurred,” the U.S. president mentioned.
Kyiv and most European leaders have but to touch upon the summit, presumably due to the time distinction.
Some expressed appreciation for Trump’s efforts to deliver the conflict in Ukraine to an finish, whereas being cautious of Putin’s statements.
“I welcome the truth that President Trump is making an attempt to cease the conflict, that he’s constantly speaking about it with European representatives, and that he’ll inform us in Europe concerning the outcomes of as we speak’s assembly,” Czech International Minister Jan Lipavsky said on X.
“[But] Putin has uttered the identical propaganda gibberish concerning the ‘roots of the battle’ that his state tv is preaching. The issue is Russian imperialism, not the Ukrainian want to stay freely.”
Trump instructed Fox Information that the following steps would depend on Zelenskyy’s willingness to take part. European leaders should additionally “get entangled a bit of bit” to push towards an settlement, he mentioned.
When requested by Hannity after the assembly what recommendation he had for Ukraine, Trump’s response was easy: “Make a deal.”
Emel Akan contributed to this report.
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