In Alaska, a very important meeting took place that could decide the future of the war in Ukraine. U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin sat down face-to-face on Friday, hoping to talk about peace in Europe’s deadliest war since World War II.
The Dramatic Arrival
Trump welcomed Putin on a red carpet at a U.S. Air Force base. They shook hands warmly, even patting each other on the arm, before riding together in Trump’s limo to the summit. Behind them at the meeting site was a big blue banner with the words “Pursuing Peace.”
This was their first meeting since 2019, and both leaders brought along top officials to join the talks.
Why People Are Worried
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy was not invited to the talks. This worried him and his European allies, who fear Trump might agree to let Russia keep control of the parts of Ukraine it has already taken. That would mean freezing the war without Ukraine fully winning back its land.
Trump tried to calm these fears before the meeting, saying he would let Ukraine decide about any land issues. “I’m not here to negotiate for Ukraine, I’m here to get them at a table,” Trump said. His main goal, he explained, was a ceasefire—a stop to the fighting and killing.
The People in the Room
Trump’s team included U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, envoy Steve Witkoff, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and others. Putin was joined by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his advisers.
Both sides came ready to push their own interests:
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Trump hopes to stop the war and prove himself as a global peacemaker, something he believes could even earn him the Nobel Peace Prize.
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Putin sees the meeting as a victory already, showing the world that Russia cannot be isolated and still has a seat at the table of powerful nations.
The War’s Heavy Cost
The war in Ukraine has been raging for more than three and a half years since Russia invaded in February 2022. Despite both Russia and Ukraine denying that they target civilians, thousands have been killed—most of them Ukrainians. U.S. envoy Keith Kellogg estimated that 1.2 million people have been killed or injured on both sides combined.
Putin is wanted by the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes, specifically the deportation of Ukrainian children. Russia denies these accusations, and neither the U.S. nor Russia recognizes the ICC.
Zelenskiy Speaks Out
While Trump and Putin met in Alaska, Zelenskiy reminded the world that Russia was still attacking. A Russian missile had just hit the Dnipropetrovsk region, killing one person and injuring another. He said Ukraine wants a “just peace” and three-way talks that include him. He also made it clear: Ukraine will never officially give up its land to Russia.
What Trump and Putin Said
Trump called Putin a “smart guy” and said they respected each other, but he warned that if talks went badly, Russia would face “severe economic consequences.” He even hinted at using new sanctions and tariffs, especially targeting Russia’s oil trade with China and India.
Putin, on the other hand, suggested he might be open to compromises. Reports said he could agree to freeze the war along current battle lines, as long as NATO promised not to expand further east and some sanctions on Russia were lifted.
Putin also dangled something else Trump wants: a new nuclear arms control deal, since the last surviving agreement between the two nations will expire soon.
The Bigger Picture
For Trump, success means peace and proving he can stop wars where others could not. For Putin, just being at the table shows that Western efforts to cut him off have failed. But for Ukraine, the biggest fear remains: Will this meeting bring true peace—or will it cost them more of their homeland?
This meeting in Alaska was not just about two leaders shaking hands—it was about millions of lives, the future of Ukraine, and whether the war in Europe can finally end.
