Trump, Putin fail to reach a deal to end Ukraine war

WASHINGTON,— A long-anticipated summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin ended Friday without any breakthrough on ending Russia’s war in Ukraine, though both leaders called the discussions “productive” before leaving Alaska.

The meeting, held for nearly three hours at a U.S. military base, was the first face-to-face encounter between an American president and Putin since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Despite high expectations and Trump’s pledge to push for a ceasefire, the summit produced no concrete steps to halt Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War II.

No Ceasefire, No Deal

Standing before a backdrop that read “Pursuing Peace,” Trump told reporters only that “some headway” had been made. “There’s no deal until there’s a deal,” he said, declining to take questions and walking away as journalists shouted inquiries.

Putin, who has been isolated from most Western leaders since the invasion, described the exchange as constructive but gave no indication that Russia was prepared to consider a ceasefire.

Instead, he repeated Moscow’s stance that the “root causes” of the conflict must be addressed before lasting peace is possible.

Neither side disclosed details of what was discussed, though Trump later told Fox News’ Sean Hannity that potential land arrangements and security guarantees for Ukraine were among the topics.

“I think those are points that we negotiated, and those are points that we largely have agreed on,” Trump said in the interview. “Ukraine has to agree to it. Maybe they’ll say no.”

Asked what he would advise Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Trump replied, “Gotta make a deal. Russia is a very big power, and they’re not.”

Possible Next Steps

Trump suggested a new meeting could be arranged between Putin and Zelensky, possibly with himself present. He did not specify who would organize the talks or when they might take place.

Putin made no mention of a meeting with Zelensky, instead urging Ukraine and European governments to accept the outcome of U.S.–Russia dialogue and “not disrupt the emerging progress.”

There was no immediate response from Kyiv. Zelensky has consistently rejected territorial concessions to Moscow and has sought binding U.S. and NATO security guarantees.

Trump said he planned to call Zelensky and NATO leaders to brief them on the Alaska talks once back in Washington. He was scheduled to arrive there early Saturday.

Trade and Sanctions

In his Fox interview, Trump also announced that he would delay tariffs on Chinese imports of Russian oil, citing progress with Putin.

China has been a major buyer of Russian crude since the start of the war. “Because of what happened today, I think I don’t have to think about that now,” Trump said.

India, another top purchaser of Russian oil, has already been hit with combined tariffs of up to 50 percent on U.S. imports, including a 25 percent penalty for crude linked to Russia.

Despite threats of broader sanctions on Moscow, Trump has not yet imposed new measures, even after Putin rejected a Trump-set ceasefire deadline earlier this month.

Fighting Continues

While the leaders met in Alaska, fighting in Ukraine showed no sign of slowing. The Ukrainian Air Force reported overnight strikes across Sumy, Donetsk, Chernihiv and Dnipropetrovsk regions, claiming 61 of 85 Russian drones were shot down.

Russia’s defense ministry said its air defenses destroyed 29 Ukrainian drones, including 10 over the Rostov region. Officials in Bryansk and Rostov reported additional attempted attacks.

Civilian casualties in Ukraine continue to climb. Analysts estimate the war has killed or wounded more than a million people on both sides, including thousands of Ukrainian civilians.

Symbolism and Optics

The summit’s muted ending contrasted sharply with its opening. Putin was greeted in Alaska with a red carpet welcome and a military flyover before meeting Trump.

The Russian leader remains under an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court, accused of unlawfully deporting Ukrainian children. Russia has dismissed the allegations, while neither the U.S. nor Russia are members of the ICC.

Concerns in Kyiv and Europe

Zelensky and European leaders had voiced concern ahead of the summit that Trump might accept a freeze in the conflict, effectively leaving one-fifth of Ukraine under Russian control.

Trump tried to ease those fears before the talks, saying he would let Ukraine decide on any concessions. “I want to see a ceasefire rapidly,” he told reporters. “I want the killing to stop.”

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, special envoy Steve Witkoff, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov also took part in the discussions.

Trump has repeatedly said he could end the war “within 24 hours” if elected again, though he acknowledged this week that the conflict has proven harder to resolve than he anticipated.

He added that a three-way summit with Zelensky could be more significant than his bilateral meeting with Putin.

At the close of Friday’s session, Trump thanked Putin and suggested they would meet again soon. “Next time in Moscow,” Putin replied in English with a smile.

Trump quipped he “might get a little heat on that one,” but did not rule out visiting Russia.

Zelensky, posting on Telegram ahead of the summit, called for a “just peace” and said steps must be taken by Russia to end the war. “We are counting on America,” he wrote.

(With files from Reuters)