"No Ceasefire": BBC Examines Key Moments of Trump-Putin Meeting in Alaska
Kyiv • UNN
The presidents of the United States and Russia did not reach a ceasefire agreement in Ukraine after nearly three hours of talks in Alaska. Donald Trump spoke of "great progress" but without specific details, while Vladimir Putin joked about the next meeting in Moscow.
United States President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin left Alaska without reaching a ceasefire agreement in Ukraine. After a nearly three-hour meeting, the leaders made a joint statement to the media before leaving. In particular, Trump made a statement before leaving, but without answering key questions.
UNN writes with reference to BBC.
Details
No deal until there's a deal
It was a roundabout way of admitting that after several hours of negotiations, there was no agreement. No ceasefire. Nothing tangible to report. The President said that he and Vladimir Putin had made "some great progress," but with few details about what that might be.
Trump has come a long way, with no great results. At least America's European allies and Ukrainian officials can be comforted that the White House chief did not offer unilateral concessions or agreements that could undermine future negotiations.
It seems that Trump - a man who likes to advertise himself as a peacemaker and dealmaker - will leave Alaska neither.
There is also no indication that a future summit involving Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will take place. Despite Putin's joke about their next meeting "next time in Moscow."
Although Trump had less at stake in these talks than Ukraine or Russia, it will still hurt his domestic and international prestige after previous promises that this meeting had only a 25% chance of failure.
Moreover, the president had to suffer an obvious insult - Trump was silent when Putin began the press conference with lengthy opening remarks. This was a significant departure from the usual Oval Office routine, where the US president usually conducts the meeting while his foreign counterpart observes without comment.
Although Alaska is US territory, Putin seemed more at home in a territory his officials like to call "Russian America" before its sale to the US in the 19th century. This may annoy the American president in the coming days, as will the press coverage that will present this summit as a failure.
The main question now:
Will Trump still decide to impose his new sanctions against Russia as punishment?
The president partially discussed the issue in a friendly interview with Fox News before his departure, saying he would consider such a move "maybe in two weeks, three weeks." But given that the president promised "serious consequences" if Russia did not move towards a ceasefire, such a vague answer could raise more questions than answers.
There was obvious surprise in the hall when Presidents Trump and Putin left the podium immediately after their speeches – without answering any questions.
Members of the Russian delegation also quickly left the hall without answering any questions from journalists.
These are clear signs that when it comes to the war in Ukraine, Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin still have significant differences of opinion. In particular, Donald Trump insisted on a ceasefire with Russia. Putin did not give him that.
Earlier that day, the atmosphere was completely different. President Trump rolled out the red carpet for Vladimir Putin, treating the Kremlin leader as an honored guest.
The Russian president got his moment in the spotlight of geopolitical consciousness, sharing the stage with the leader of the world's most powerful country.
Earlier, Trump threatened a tougher approach to Russia, ultimatums, deadlines, and warnings of further sanctions if Moscow ignored calls for a ceasefire.
What is the situation for Ukraine
What just happened in Anchorage may seem anticlimactic to many, but in Kyiv there will be sighs of relief that no "deal" was announced that would cost Ukraine territory.
The people of Ukraine will also know that all their key agreements with Russia are ultimately broken. Therefore, even if one of them had been announced here in Anchorage, they would have been skeptical.
However, Ukrainians will be alarmed that during the joint press conference, Vladimir Putin again spoke about the "root causes" of the conflict and stated that only their elimination would lead to lasting peace. In Kremlin jargon, this means that he is still determined to continue the original goal of his "special military operation" – the dismantling of Ukraine as an independent state.
Three and a half years of Western efforts have failed to make him change his mind, and this now summarizes the Alaska summit. The uncertainty that remains after the meeting is also a concern.
What's next? Will Russian attacks continue uninterrupted?
The last few months have seen a series of Western deadlines come and go without consequences, and threats that were never carried out. Ukrainians see this as an invitation for Putin to continue his attacks. They may view the apparent lack of progress made in Anchorage in the same light.