Trump-Putin Summit Ends Without Ukraine Ceasefire Deal 

US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin left Alaska over the weekend without securing a ceasefire deal in Ukraine, prompting mixed reactions from Europe, Kyiv, and Russia. Analysts say that Putin emerged from the meeting with valuable political capital, the BBC reported. 

After Friday’s summit at the Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson near Anchorage, both leaders delivered brief remarks under a banner reading “pursuing peace” and refused to take questions. Trump said they made “some great progress” but admitted that “there’s no deal until there’s a deal.” 

That came as a disappointment to those who had hoped Trump would negotiate a ceasefire following a virtual meeting with European leaders and Ukraine days before Friday’s summit. 

Observers noted that Trump shifted from pushing for an immediate ceasefire to seeking a permanent peace deal following the Alaska meeting – a formulation that’s closer to Russia’s position. He later said the “best way” forward was a peace agreement rather than a fragile ceasefire. 

In Kyiv, some citizens expressed frustration at the red-carpet welcome Putin was offered, while others voiced relief that no territorial “deal” was struck. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia’s refusal to halt fighting “complicates the situation.” 

Meanwhile, European leaders reacted cautiously, according to the Hill. 

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas called Trump’s effort “vital” but warned Moscow had no intention of ending the war “anytime soon.” German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Europe and the US must be prepared to “increase the pressure” if Russia refuses concessions, while NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stressed that Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity must remain central. 

Trump discussed the exchange on a call with Zelenskyy and EU leaders Saturday and expressed his openness to offering US security guarantees to Ukraine. Officials familiar with the matter said the US President claimed that Putin will not cease attacks while peace talks are underway. However, the Russian leader said he would be willing to accept Western security forces in Ukraine as part of a potential peace deal. 

Zelenskyy and other European leaders will meet Trump on Monday in Washington, where discussions will focus on territorial issues, security guarantees, and continued support for Ukraine, NBC News added. 

For Russia, the talks looked like a victory. On his first visit to US soil since 2015, Putin used the summit to press his demands, which include that Kyiv cede territory in Donetsk and Luhansk, while framing Europe and Ukraine as obstacles to peace.  

He later remarked to his officials in Moscow that the talks had allowed Russia to “calmly and in detail” restate its position, noted the Wall Street Journal. 

Moscow-based analyst Andrey Kolesnikov told the Journal that Putin “achieved exactly what he wanted: He preserved his relationship with Trump, avoided additional sanctions, and received the blessing to continue his war.”  

Others warned warned the optics benefited Putin more than Trump, with BBC correspondents cautioning that the meeting “dents Trump’s reputation as a dealmaker” and leaves Washington’s allies uncertain whether US threats of “severe consequences” to Russia will materialize.