Key takeaways from the Trump-Putin summit in Alaska

Key takeaways from the Trump-Putin summit in Alaska

Received with fighter jets, a red carpet and the hopeful slogan “Seek Peace” emblazoned on the wall President Donald Trump his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin a summit in Alaska on Friday. However, the results of this meeting remained unclear after its abrupt end.

Unclear progress

After almost three hours of talks, the two presidents appeared before the media and announced progress. Nevertheless, they left the planned press conference without any concrete information about the agreements reached. One thing was obvious: no deal was made, and the ceasefire Trump sought was far from becoming a reality.

“There were a lot of things we agreed on - most of them I would say,” Trump said after Putin's words. “A few key points where we’re not quite there yet, but we’ve made progress.” Trump concluded by saying, “There’s no deal until there’s a deal.” The two's appearance ended without answers to journalists' questions.

A festive reception for Putin

It was an indecisive conclusion to an impressive summit that, despite its ambiguities, resolutely reintegrated Putin into the diplomatic circle. However, it became clear from the beginning of the meeting how difficult Trump's task would be. As the presidents greeted each other on the tarmac at Elmendorf Air Force Base, there were already warnings of incoming Russian drones and planes in Ukraine - a clear sign of Putin's intention to continue the war while Trump paid respects to him on US soil.

Little concrete about Ukraine

Trump gave no information about a possible trilateral meeting between himself, Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, which he had previously described as his main goal. However, he promised to call “the appropriate people,” including Zelensky, to inform them of the talks.

The only upcoming meeting mentioned was a possible follow-up with Putin. “We’ll talk to each other again soon, and we’ll probably see each other again soon,” Trump said. “Next time in Moscow,” Putin replied in English – a reference that appeared to exclude Zelensky from the discussion.

Putin's return to diplomacy

Soon after his arrival in the United States, Putin's smile as he looked out the window of Trump's limousine was telling: After years of Western isolation, he was back in the world's most powerful nation. It had been 10 years since Putin was last in America and even longer since he was welcomed to a major presidential summit. After the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the Russian leader was treated like a pariah by many world leaders, unwanted by most Western countries and even threatened with an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court. Alaska was an attractive location for the summit, in part because the US is not a member of the ICC.

However, Putin's isolation ended when his plane landed in Anchorage. With a red carpet reception, a flyover by fighter jets and a round of applause from Trump himself, the message became clear: Putin was back in the diplomatic world. Their friendly greeting ritual was celebrated on Russian state television as a “historic handshake.”

Surprise at the number of participants

There was a surprise when Trump landed: He would no longer meet with Putin one-on-one, only with their translators. Instead, two advisers would accompany each president to the bilateral talks. This was different from previous information, which signaled that the summit would include a one-on-one area. A U.S. official said it was a short-term change without explaining the reason for the move.

Trump's previous one-on-one discussions with Putin were shrouded in a certain degree of secrecy. It was often unclear what exactly was being discussed. After one such meeting in Germany, Trump asked his interpreter to destroy her notes.

The addition of two advisers to this meeting - Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US special envoy Steve Witkoff - could provide more clarity in the coming days, especially if Russia presents a different view of events. Still, it remains unclear what Trump and Putin exchanged during their brief ride in the presidential limousine; This particular part of the conversation remains a secret between the two heads of state.