The major meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday went over two-and-a-half hours and concluded. The world watched this high-profile summit intently, as it could influence the Ukraine conflict and Europe's security dynamics. This marked the first face-to-face encounter since 2019 for the leaders, accompanied by their high-level teams under banners of "Pursuing Peace."
Before the meeting, Trump articulated his aim to halt the war immediately and secure Putin's pledge for an imminent meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Nevertheless, the leaders fell short of a ceasefire agreement. Meanwhile, Putin extended an invitation for Trump to visit Russia.
Highlights from Trump and Putin's meeting:
1.
Regarding the meeting, President Donald Trump acknowledged progress, although some "major issues" persist. He mentioned, "Consensus on many points has been reached, but some remain pending. One is most crucial, but I won't reveal it now." Trump hinted at upcoming discussions with Zelenskyy and European leaders and suggested a "possible" follow-up meeting with Putin in Moscow.
2.
Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed a genuine desire to end the war but emphasized resolving the "core conflicts" first. He urged Ukraine and Europe not to "sabotage" discussions. Putin described his relationship with Trump as "business-like" and reiterated that had Trump remained president beyond 2020, the war might never have commenced.
3.
Concluding the press conference, Putin extended an English invitation for Trump to visit Moscow. Trump called it "interesting" and "possible," while acknowledging potential criticism.
4.
Putin commended Trump's "friendly" tone and urged America and Russia to "open a new chapter" in collaboration. He praised Trump as a clear thinker concerned for his nation's prosperity.
5.
After the meeting, the two leaders issued joint statements without taking press questions. Putin referred to it as the "beginning of an agreement," yet refrained from discussing specifics of this consensus.
6.
Post-meeting, Putin placed flowers on the graves of Soviet pilots in Alaska. These pilots died during World War II while flying planes as part of training and the lend-lease program.
7.
Initially planned as a one-on-one, the talk later evolved into a 3-on-3 session. On the American side were Marco Rubio and Steve Witkoff, while Sergey Lavrov and Yuri Ushakov represented Russia. This approach was seen as more cautious compared to the 2018 Helsinki meeting.
8.
Alaska's strategic base and proximity to Russia lent additional symbolism to this meeting, while Ukraine endures heavy bombardment and battles across a 600-mile front line.
9.
Zelenskyy wasn't part of the meeting. In a video message, he stated, "Everyone desires an honest end to the war. Ukraine is ready, yet the conflict prolongs due to Moscow's lack of visible intent to conclude it."
