For “progress but not agreement” spoke Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, following their historic meeting in Alaska on the evening of Friday, August 15 (22:26 Greece time), against the backdrop of efforts to achieve a ceasefire in the war in Ukraine.
The two leaders, flanked by their top diplomatic advisors, met at Elmendorf–Richardson Air Force Base near Anchorage, in a setting with the slogan “Seeking Peace.” On the Russian side, the head of Russian diplomacy, Sergey Lavrov, and Putin’s diplomatic advisor, Yuri Ushakov, were present, while the American delegation was accompanied by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkof.
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After nearly three hours of talks, the two presidents held a joint press conference. Vladimir Putin spoke first, referring to a “constructive atmosphere of mutual respect” and describing the negotiations as “thorough.” Without revealing details, he expressed hope that the meeting would serve as a “reference point” not only for Ukraine but also for the restoration of Russia-U.S. relations, with prospects for cooperation in energy, technology, space, and the Arctic.
For his part, Donald Trump called it a “very productive meeting,” emphasizing that “significant progress” had been made and that there are now “many possibilities” for an agreement, though “there is still a way to go.” He even announced plans to brief Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, leaving open the possibility of a future meeting in Moscow.
The meeting in Alaska is seen as a milestone, marking a return to the diplomatic stage three and a half years after the start of the Russian invasion, which triggered the bloodiest conflict in Europe since World War II.
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Vladimir Putin reiterated Moscow’s position that eliminating the causes of this conflict is a prerequisite for a long-term resolution of the crisis. “I have every reason to believe that by continuing this path, we can end the conflict in Ukraine as soon as possible.”
At the same time, he expressed hope that mutual understanding would bring peace to Ukraine and that the progress made during the summit in Alaska would not be undermined, taking jabs at Kyiv’s European allies. “We hope they will not raise obstacles or attempt to undermine progress through provocations or backstage scheming,” Putin noted.
Subsequently, the U.S. President stated that it was a “very productive meeting” during which “significant progress” was made. “There is still a way to go” before reaching an agreement, Trump stressed, clarifying that “we agreed on many points” and there are still a few where disagreements remain. “We did not reach an agreement today, but we have many chances to achieve it,” he said characteristically.
He announced that he would brief Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other leaders on the outcome of the talks and bid farewell to Putin by saying: “I will see you again soon.”
“Next time in Moscow?”, said the powerful man of the Kremlin in English, with the American President leaving such a possibility open.
In any case, this meeting marks a milestone for the return to the diplomatic scene, three and a half years after the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which triggered the bloodiest conflict in Europe since World War II.
The red carpet
Arriving first at Eielson-Richardson Base in Alaska, the American President welcomed his Russian counterpart with a red carpet, and as Putin approached, Trump applauded him.
Western media are today in a “state of hysteria,” on the verge of “absolute madness,” commented Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, following the reception of the Kremlin’s powerful man Vladimir Putin by American President Donald Trump in Alaska.
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“For three years they spoke about Russia’s isolation, and today they saw the red carpet rolled out for the reception of the Russian President in the United States,” Zakharova stated in a post on the Telegram platform.
Reactions from the White House and the Kremlin
The Kremlin spokesman stated that the talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his American counterpart Donald Trump allow the two countries to continue seeking ways to resolve the conflict in Ukraine, as reported by the Interfax news agency.
“The discussion was indeed very positive, and both Presidents mentioned it. This discussion allows us to move forward together with confidence in the process of seeking settlement options,” said the Russian Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov, without providing further clarification.
On the other hand, Donald Trump stated that he had a private conversation, which he described as “very honest,” with Vladimir Putin after the joint press conference they held in Alaska.
Asked if he had time to speak alone with Putin, Trump told Fox News journalist Sean Hannity: “Yes, I did. In fact, I did after our speeches. He gave a very good speech, and I concluded the press conference. Then we talked. Immediately after, we talked very honestly,” expressing his belief that the Russian President desires to reach an agreement on Ukraine.
The “ball” in Ukraine and the EU
Donald Trump stated after his meeting with Vladimir Putin that achieving an agreement to end the war in Ukraine now depends on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. In an interview with Fox News, Trump expressed his belief that a Putin-Zelensky meeting will be prepared for negotiations aimed at reaching an agreement to end the conflict in Ukraine.
“Now, it really depends on President Zelensky to finalize it. And I would also say that the European countries should get involved a little. But it depends on President Zelensky. And if they want it, I will be at the next meeting,” Trump emphasized.
Asked if he had any advice to give Zelensky, Trump replied: “A deal must be reached. Yes. Look, Russia is a very big power, and they are not.
“They are great soldiers.”
The phone call of European leaders to Trump
In the aftermath of the Trump-Putin meeting, French President Emmanuel Macron had a telephone conversation with the US President and European partners on the morning of Saturday, August 16, according to a statement from the French presidency.
This telephone communication lasted one hour and was attended by other European leaders, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, President of Finland Alexander Stubb, and President of Poland Karol Nawrocki, as well as NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, the statement adds.
Source: APE-MPE
