JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska (AP) — President Donald Trump said he and Vladimir Putin didn’t reach a deal to end Russia’s war in Ukraine after meeting on Friday — despite Putin saying they had come to “an understanding” — as the two leaders offered scant details on what was discussed while heaping praise on each other.
In brief remarks as they shared a stage after meeting for about 2 ½ hours in Alaska, Putin said he and Trump had reached an “understanding” on Ukraine and warned Europe not to “torpedo the nascent progress.”
But Trump then said, “There’s no deal until there’s a deal” and said he planned to speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders soon, to brief them on the discussions.
“We had an extremely productive meeting, and many points were agreed to,” Trump said. “And there are just a very few that are left. Some are not that significant. One is probably the most significant, but we have a very good chance of getting there.”
He continued: “We didn’t get there.”
The high-profile summit ended without a deal to end, or even pause, the brutal conflict — the largest land war in Europe since 1945 — which has raged for more than three years.
It was an abrupt ending to an otherwise friendly meeting in which a red carpet was rolled out for Putin as he landed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. The two leaders greeted each other with a handshake and a smile, and Putin even got a ride in the presidential limousine — an unusually warm reception for a U.S. adversary.
While the two leaders were still on the tarmac, reporters nearby yelled, “President Putin, will you stop killing civilians?” Russia’s leader put his hand up to his ear as though to indicate he couldn’t hear them. Trump and Putin then shared the U.S. presidential limo known as “The Beast” for a short ride to their meeting site, with Putin offering a broad smile as the vehicle rolled past the cameras.
Zelenskyy and European leaders were excluded from Trump and Putin’s discussions, and Ukraine’s president was left posting a video address in which he expressed his hope for a “strong position from the U.S.”
“Everyone wants an honest end to the war. Ukraine is ready to work as productively as possible to end the war,” he said, later adding, “The war continues and it continues precisely because there is no order, nor any signals from Moscow, that it is preparing to end this war.”
Trump had both raised and lowered expectations for the summit, at turns characterizing it as a “feel-out meeting” but also warning of “very severe consequences” for Russia if Putin didn’t agree to end the war.
He boasted before taking office that he could end the war in 24 hours, a comment he later said was in jest. The opportunity to talk to Putin face-to-face gave him his best chance to date to get the fighting to stop, but he came up short.
Putin suggests in English that next meeting could be held in Moscow
Trump has spoken repeatedly in recent days about wanting to have a second meeting after the Alaska summit.
As they wrapped their statements after the summit, Putin said to Trump in English, “Next time in Moscow.”
Trump responded, “I could see it possibly happening.”
Neither leader announced that a second meeting would be held before they left the room without answering questions from reporters.
Trump and Putin did not take questions after giving joint statements
After their nearly three-hour-long meeting, neither Trump nor Putin took questions from reporters after giving brief remarks. Putin said the two leaders had reached an “understanding,” but neither offered further details.
Trump says he will fill Zelenskyy in on Putin meeting
The U.S. president also said he would call European and NATO leaders to give them updates from his meeting with Putin.
Trump said “some great progress” was made in his bilateral meeting with the Russian president, saying “many points were agreed to,” with just a “very few” remaining.
Zelenskyy was not invited to the Alaska summit.
Putin says there would no be war in Ukraine if Trump had been president in 2022
Trump has long claimed that Putin would never have invaded Ukraine if he had still be in the White House — and the Russian leader confirmed that argument at a news conference after their meeting.
Putin criticized former President Joe Biden without naming him and referenced Trump’s argument about his presence being sufficient to stop the war.
“I can confirm that,” Putin said through a translator.
Putin speaks first at joint news conference with Trump
Speaking in Russian, the president said he had greeted Trump as “dear neighbor,” thankful to see him in good health.
Putin also said he and Trump “have very good, direct contact.”
As Putin spoke, Trump stood about 6 or 7 feet (1.8 or 2.1 meters) away from him, at his own podium.
Putin said the U.S. and Russia are close neighbors, separated by mere miles, so it made sense for the summit to be held in Alaska.