Hope and disappointment as world reacts to Trump-Putin summit

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – It was a summit thrown collectively only a week after it was first introduced, marked by cinematic thrives as the 2 presidents arrived at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, earlier than strolling a pink carpet collectively as bomber and fighter jets roared overhead.

Either side billed it as an vital assembly. However whereas the staging appeared to have been readied on time, the diplomatic script appeared to not have been written prematurely, and no clear outcomes or main bulletins emerged from the talks.

The intensive journey required to the navy web site outdoors Anchorage lasted far longer than the precise talks. Whereas a banner behind Presidents Trump and Putin at a press convention after their discussions learn “Pursuing Peace,” the U.S. chief by no means as soon as talked about the phrase “peace” in his remarks.

Trump saved his assertion uncharacteristically quick, and didn’t seem significantly proud of what had transpired in his assembly with Putin.

“There were many, many points that we agreed on. Most of them, I would say a couple of big ones that we haven’t quite got there, but we’ve made some headway,” mentioned Trump, with out elaborating on the main points.

Forward of the summit, he’d mentioned he needed to stroll away with a ceasefire — though sometimes within the days main as much as the assembly, he additionally sought to decrease expectations by saying it was nearly feeling issues out, or setting the desk for a second assembly.

The reactions from leaders and legislators worldwide — with the notable exception of these in Russia —sometimes expressed a measure of hope, however usually disappointment too.

U.S. legislators weigh in with criticism, cautious optimism

Trump once more postponed stronger sanctions on Russia, regardless of Putin’s refusal to publicly decide to a ceasefire with Ukraine.

“I think I don’t have to think about that now,” Trump mentioned when requested about this throughout an interview with Fox Information after the assembly.

Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, the rating Democrat on the Senate’s International Relations Committee, mentioned Trump appeared “to have been played yet again by Vladimir Putin.”

In a assertion launched by her workplace, Shaheen mentioned Trump had “rolled out a red carpet and warmly greeted a murderous dictator on American soil and reports indicate he got nothing concrete in return.”

Shaheen mentioned she was “encouraged” that Trump had promised to debrief Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in addition to European allies, but in addition voiced impatience.

“Enough is enough. If President Trump won’t act, Congress must do so decisively by passing crushing sanctions.”

Trump informed Fox Information that he anticipated a trilateral summit, involving each Putin and Zelenskyy, to occur quickly. Alaskan Senator Lisa Murkowski, a Republican who has been prepared to stifle Trump’s legislative efforts over time, had expressed skepticism concerning the assembly earlier this week.

However she wrote on social media that she was “cautiously optimistic about the signals that some level of progress was made” and mentioned it was “encouraging to hear both presidents reference future meetings, which I hope will include Ukraine.”

South Carolinian Republican Senator Lindsey Graham echoed these sentiments, however instructed the alternate options could be disastrous for Putin and Russia.

“If there’s a trilateral meeting between President @realdonaldtrump, President Zelensky and Putin, then I am cautiously optimistic that this war will end well before Christmas,” he wrote on X. “If the meeting doesn’t happen, I think President Trump may deliver severe consequences to Putin and those who buy his oil and gas.”

Trump passes ball to Ukraine, and Zelenskyy

After the summit, Trump additionally informed Fox Information it was now as much as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to “get it done” and mentioned he would inform Zelenskyy to “make the deal.”

“Look: Russia is a very big power, and they’re not,” Trump mentioned within the interview.

However the response from lawmakers in Kyiv was removed from enthusiastic.

“It seems Putin has bought himself more time,” Oleksiy Honcharenko, a Ukrainian lawmaker wrote on Telegram. “No cease-fire or any kind of de-escalation has been agreed upon.”

In a submit on X, Zelenskyy mentioned he had accepted an invite to fulfill with Trump in Washington D.C. on Monday, “to discuss all of the details regarding ending the killing and the war.”

He went on to emphasise the significance of European involvement to make sure dependable safety ensures alongside the U.S., noting “positive signals from the American side regarding participation in guaranteeing Ukraine’s security.”

He added that Ukraine continues to coordinate with all companions and thanked everybody aiding within the effort.

Response amongst Russia delegation

At a time when President Putin is unable to go to greater than 100 nations, out of concern he might be arrested due to warrants issued by the Worldwide Legal Courtroom (ICC), the journey to Alaska highlighted American exceptionalism. America isn’t get together to the treaties governing the ICC.

U.S. leaders have repeatedly criticized the court docket’s actions, and have not too long ago sanctioned officers there, on account of its actions in opposition to Israel. The summit thus supplied a gap for the Russian chief to as soon as once more stand on a worldwide stage with one other world chief. He spoke at size throughout the press convention with Trump, referencing an settlement the 2 males had made that will “pave the path towards peace in Ukraine” — with out, once more, disclosing any particulars.

“We expect that Kyiv and European capitals will perceive that constructively and that they won’t throw a wrench in the works,” Putin added, a jab on the function many European leaders have performed in supporting Zelenskyy in his dealings with the Trump White Home in current months.

He mentioned he hoped European leaders would “not make any attempts to use some backroom dealings to conduct provocations to torpedo the nascent progress.”

Putin’s spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, who had travelled to Alaska too, described the assembly between Trump and Putin as “very positive,” and defined that there had been no want for both chief to discipline questions from the small military of assembled journalists, as a result of their statements had been “exhaustive,” in response to state-controlled RIA Novosti.

The Russian spokesman mentioned the Alaska dialog may assist the 2 males “confidently move forward together” alongside a path that will discover choices for peace.

Europeans stay key to a ceasefire

In Europe, the place leaders had labored arduous in current days to strengthen Ukraine’s diplomatic place within the talks, regardless of Zelenskyy’s absence, there was a level of anger amongst lawmakers in some international locations.

Marko Mihkelson, the Chairman of the International Affairs Committee of the Estonian Parliament, wrote on social media that the assembly “was no surprise. Putin wanted to humiliate the US — and he succeeded.”

He mentioned Trump wanted to position “real pressure on Russia” if he needed to rework a weak hand right into a profitable one.

The feedback by Putin about Europe’s potential to dam progress consisted of “gaslighting and veiled threats,” wrote Lithuania’s protection minister Dovile Sakaliene on X, noting that within the hours earlier than the assembly, Russian forces had continued to “bomb civilians in Ukraine.

“The Czech International Minister Jan Lipavsky expressed gratitude for Trump’s makes an attempt to forge a peace deal, but in addition warned about propaganda efforts by the Kremlin. “The problem is Russian imperialism,” he wrote on X. “If Putin were serious about peace talks, he would not have been attacking Ukraine all day.”