Trump and Putin meet in Alaska, no Ukraine peace deal announced

At Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, US President Donald Trump hosted Russian President Vladimir Putin on Aug 15 for a much-anticipated summit aimed at addressing the war in Ukraine.

The nearly three-hour meeting involved small delegations: Trump was accompanied by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, while Putin arrived with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and aide Yuri Ushakov.

Both leaders declared the summit “very productive” and “mutually respectful,” with Trump calling it a “10-out-of-10,” though neither presented specific outcomes.

In a brief press appearance, Trump emphasized that “there’s no deal until there’s a deal”, conveying that no official agreement had been reached. Putin, however, said an “understanding” had been reached and cautioned European powers against jeopardizing any nascent progress.

Trump also noted the onus now lies with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to build upon their discussions and secure a peace deal.

The summit featured symbolic gestures, including a red carpet handshake, a military fly-over, and even shared limousine transport—Putin rode in the presidential vehicle unaccompanied by aides or interpreters, a break from protocol.

Despite the cordial tone, the absence of media-facing dialogue upset many. Reporters received no opportunity to question the leaders, and both departed without formal remarks.

This meeting marked the first in-person summit between Trump and Putin since Trump’s 2024 victory and their last such interaction in 2019. It was also the first time Putin has been on US military soil since 2015.