Anchorage, Alaska — US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin met face-to-face for almost three hours on Friday. The goal: try to stop Russia’s war in Ukraine. But when it ended, there was no deal.
Trump called the meeting “very productive,” but admitted there was still no agreement to end the fighting.
👉 “There’s no deal until there’s a deal,” Trump said, standing in front of a big backdrop that read “Pursuing Peace.”
What They Said
Trump told reporters that they found “many points they agreed on”, but also admitted there were big issues left unsolved. He promised to update Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and NATO leaders soon.
Putin, meanwhile, said he hoped Ukraine and Europe would “accept the results” of the meeting and not try to block what he called “progress.”
👉 He even claimed the summit would restart better relations between the US and Russia.
But Ukraine’s leaders stayed silent for now, leaving the world guessing how they would react.
A Summit Full of Drama
The summit began with huge attention and ceremony. When Putin landed at a US Air Force base in Alaska, he walked on a red carpet as Trump greeted him warmly, with US fighter jets flying overhead.
For Putin, just being there was already a big victory. He could show the world that, despite years of Western efforts to isolate Russia, he was back on the global stage.
For Trump, he wanted something bigger: a ceasefire to prove he could be a peacemaker worthy of a Nobel Peace Prize.
The Stakes: Millions Affected
The war in Ukraine, which began when Russia invaded in February 2022, has become the deadliest conflict in Europe in 80 years.
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Thousands of civilians have died, most of them Ukrainian.
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More than a million people on both sides have been killed or injured.
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Both Russia and Ukraine deny targeting civilians, but the numbers tell a tragic story.
Meanwhile, Putin is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for the war crime of deporting children from Ukraine. Russia denies the charge, and both Russia and the US refuse to recognize the ICC.
What Trump Wanted
Trump entered the talks with a clear goal: stop the fighting and get Putin to meet with Zelenskyy to negotiate peace.
But there was a risk: Ukraine and its European allies feared Trump might “sell out” Ukraine by allowing Russia to keep control of the one-fifth of Ukrainian land it has seized.
Trump pushed back, saying he would not negotiate Ukraine’s land for them:
👉 “I’m not here to negotiate for Ukraine. I’m here to get them at a table.”
Still, he admitted: ending the war was “tougher than expected.”
Ukraine’s Response
President Zelenskyy was not invited to the summit, but he spoke later through social media. He welcomed talks toward a “just peace,” but reminded the world that Russia is still attacking.
On the same day as the summit, a Russian missile hit Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region, killing one person and wounding another.
👉 “It’s time to end the war, and the necessary steps must be taken by Russia. We are counting on America,” Zelenskyy wrote.
What’s Next?
Trump hinted that if things go well, he wants a second summit—this time including Zelenskyy, Putin, and himself—to really push for peace.
For now, the world is left hanging:
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Trump says there’s progress but no deal.
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Putin calls it a victory already.
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Zelenskyy demands justice and an end to the attacks.
👉 The war continues, and the question remains: Who will bend first—Russia, Ukraine, or the world leaders caught in between?
