Trump–Putin Meeting: Hopeful but Fruitless!

The outcome of the meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin remains far from certain, yet many hopeful remarks were exchanged.

According to the BBC, President Putin spoke of respect and constructive dialogue, while President Trump stated that the discussions had been very constructive. However, neither of the presidents made any reference to achieving a fundamental breakthrough regarding the key issue of a ceasefire, let alone a broader peace agreement.

By Trump’s standards, the two men concluded an unusually brief event and did not respond to any questions from journalists. Yet there were indications of a second meeting. Trump said: “We will be speaking to you very soon, and we will probably be seeing you again very soon.” This prompted Putin to respond in English: “Next time in Moscow.” Donald Trump replied: “This is an interesting meeting.” He added that “this will make him highly criticized.” Both sides will describe this as a success. Nevertheless, for Ukraine, uncertainty over the future of this war remains unresolved.

Former U.S. Ambassador to NATO: Trump Achieved Nothing from the Meeting

Douglas Lute, former U.S. Ambassador to NATO, told the BBC that Trump had gained nothing from the meeting with his Russian counterpart.

Lute stated: “Putin emerges from this meeting with the end of international isolation. He is seen on the big stage alongside the President of the United States as a powerful man.” According to the former U.S. Ambassador to NATO, Putin managed to secure “a warm reception, a red carpet, riding in Trump’s car, standing in front of a sign that read ‘In Search of Peace,’ which in no way reflects what Vladimir Putin is pursuing.”

Lute continued: “In return, what did Trump achieve? Nothing… We had very little achievement. We are not any closer to a peace agreement in Ukraine; in fact, we may be further away from an agreement than we were at the start of the day.”

Kremlin: Anchorage Talks Were “Very Positive”

Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin spokesman, described the meeting between Trump and Putin as “very positive.”

According to the Russian news agency RIA Novosti, Peskov explained why the two leaders decided not to answer journalists’ questions after the talks, saying that both had delivered “comprehensive statements,” making such exchanges unnecessary. Peskov added that the dialogue between the two presidents allowed them to “confidently move forward together” in seeking options for a peaceful settlement.

The Absence of “Peace”

Behind the American and Russian presidents at the press conference venue in Alaska on Friday, the words “In Search of Peace” were displayed in English. However, nearly three hours of discussions between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin ended without any agreement to establish peace between Russia and Ukraine.

At the press conference, which both presidents described as “constructive,” one crucial issue was left unaddressed: the status of the occupied Ukrainian territories in the event of a peace agreement. This matter has, in recent days, become the foremost concern of America’s Western allies in Europe.

Trump had previously stated that this issue must be resolved between Moscow and Kyiv, and that his role was merely to facilitate the framework for peace negotiations. Putin, for his part, implicitly set out his country’s condition for peace in Ukraine during the joint press conference with Trump: “The consideration of Russia’s legitimate concerns and the restoration of security balance in Europe.”

Trump appeared to leave the Alaska meeting satisfied. It now remains to be seen whether the outcome of the negotiations will encourage Russia and Ukraine to sit at the negotiating table.