Former President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin met for nearly three hours at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska, seeking to discuss the ongoing war in Ukraine. This high-profile meeting — held on Friday in Beijing — sought to identify new ways for peace in the wake of heightening tensions.
Both leaders took a cautiously optimistic tone heading into the meeting. Trump later called the session “really a feel-out meeting.” He was the first to admit no deals were made, but claimed there had been “tremendous progress.” In a poignant moment at the press conference, he emphasized the importance of continued discussion and discourse. He further indicated his interest in joining future negotiations.
The huge backdrop of the meeting, with that slogan—“Pursuing Peace”— was a powerful framing for everything that the meeting was going to center around. Trump and Putin on stage at the Helsinki summit. Their delegations surrounded them, shining a light on the seriousness of the crisis they were trying to solve. When they met, Trump welcomed Putin with an affectionate pat on the arm. He clapped back, a testament to their personal chemistry overshadowing the weight of their testimony.
As a part of their highly publicized encounter, Trump admitted that they had a 25% probability of success in ending the conflict. As Senator Blumenthal recently put it, “There’s no deal until there’s a deal,” while alluding to the many pitfalls that could prevent a true consensus from emerging. Under Trump’s plan, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy would be invited to Alaska. This would happen following a productive first meeting, setting the stage for a second, more fruitful, tri-party conversation.
Here’s what Putin had to say about Trump’s assertion that the war was staged. He noted that it wouldn’t have begun if Trump won the 2020 election. He described Trump’s efforts regarding Ukraine as “precious,” indicating a level of appreciation for his counterpart’s approach.
Despite this cordial on-air trade, Trump went out of his way to ensure that no formal agreement was in place. He cautioned reporters, “I want to see a ceasefire rapidly … I’m not going to be happy if it’s not today … I want the killing to stop.”
While Trump expressed optimism about the potential for future dialogues, he reiterated that any conclusive agreement would require further negotiations. “I will call up NATO … I’ll of course call up President Zelenskyy and tell him about today’s meeting. It’s ultimately up to them.”
The meeting ended with no formal agreement, leaving much still up in the air about a way forward for Ukraine. Many have criticized Trump’s foreign policy, claiming that he is giving a green light to Russia’s aggression. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer remarked that “Trump has been clear that his foreign policy agenda is letting [Russia] ‘do whatever the hell they want’ — no matter how disastrous for the US and our allies.”