U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin met on Aug. 15 for almost 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 international 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 speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and NATO within the hopes of convening an additional assembly to finish the battle.
Listed below are the important thing takeaways.
‘No Deal Until There’s a Deal’: Trump
At a quick press convention after their assembly, each leaders stated progress had been made within the talks. They didn’t present specifics or take questions from reporters.
Trump informed reporters that there have been “just a very few” points to resolve. Some weren’t that important, however “one is probably the most significant,” he stated, with out offering particulars.
“There’s no deal until there’s a deal,” Trump stated.
“We didn’t get there, but we have a very good chance of getting there,” he added.
The 2 leaders didn’t point out a cease-fire or different key components 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 informed Fox Information host Sean Hannity that he received’t instantly contemplate extra secondary tariffs on consumers of Russian oil, corresponding to China, however could at a later date.
“Because of what happened today, I think I don’t have to think about that now. I may have to think about it in two or three weeks,” the president stated about potential tariffs towards China for getting fossil fuels from Russia.
The U.S. authorities lately elevated tariffs to 50 % for imports from India, one of many main consumers of Russian oil.
Purple Carpet and Flyover
Forward of the summit, each leaders stepped out from their presidential plane and joined one another on a crimson carpet on the tarmac at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska’s largest navy facility.
Because the leaders walked down the crimson 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 stop 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 Common 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 stated that Russia would proceed to hunt to “eliminate all the primary roots” of the battle in Ukraine and to handle “fundamental threats to [Russian] security.”
These two phrases have been utilized by Putin and Russian state media all through the battle to seek advice from Russia’s demand that Ukraine be prohibited from becoming a member of NATO or different related worldwide organizations.
Simply days earlier than launching his full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Putin delivered an tackle describing the potential accession of Ukraine to NATO as “a direct threat to the security 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 legitimate concerns must be taken into account, and a fair balance in the security sphere in Europe and the world as a whole must be restored,” Putin stated.
The Russian chief additionally stated, “We agree with President Trump, as he has said today, naturally, that the security of Ukraine should be ensured as well.”
Putin Hopes for Hotter Ties With US
Putin, through the press convention, described the enterprise his nation had misplaced lately and the reasonable improve in bilateral commerce since Trump returned to workplace. The Russian chief additionally described Trump as a “good, businesslike, and trustworthy contact.”
“I expect that today’s agreement will be the starting point not only for the solution of the Ukrainian issue, but also will help us bring back business-like and pragmatic relations between Russia and the U.S.,” Putin stated.
Putin however acknowledged that U.S.–Russia relations had been at their “lowest point since the Cold War” however described Trump’s effort to resolve the battle 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 stated that the path of the peace course of was in the end as much as Ukraine and, to a lesser extent, the remainder of Europe.
“I’m going to start making a few phone calls and tell them what happened,” the U.S. president stated.
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 battle in Ukraine to an finish, whereas being cautious of Putin’s statements.
“I welcome the fact that President Trump is trying to stop the war, that he is continuously talking about it with European representatives, and that he will inform us in Europe about the results of today’s meeting,” Czech International Minister Jan Lipavsky stated on X.
“[But] Putin has uttered the same propaganda gibberish about the ‘roots of the conflict’ that his state television is preaching. The problem is Russian imperialism, not the Ukrainian desire to live freely.”
Trump informed Fox Information that the following steps would depend on Zelenskyy’s willingness to take part. European leaders should additionally “get involved a little bit” to push towards an settlement, he stated.
When requested by Hannity after the assembly what recommendation he had for Ukraine, Trump’s response was simple: “Make a deal.”
Emel Akan contributed to this report.
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