Alas! (ka) Summit Ends: Next Time in Moscow!

U.S. President Donald Trump has said that the future of a peace agreement in Ukraine now depends on President Volodymyr Zelensky. He made the statement in a Fox News interview after his three-hour summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Anchorage, Alaska.

Trump Urges Zelensky to 'Make a Deal'

“The deal on Ukraine now depends on Zelensky,” Trump told Fox News. He advised the Ukrainian leader to reach an agreement with what he called a “mighty power,” stressing that Russia is a much larger country while Ukraine “is not.”

According to Trump, Zelensky should recognize that the war is devastating and that a settlement would be a major achievement for both himself and Putin. “Forget about me,” Trump said. “For them, it would be historic.”

Agreement on Security Guarantees for Ukraine

During the Alaska summit, U.S. and Russian delegations reportedly reached significant understanding on security guarantees for Ukraine. When asked if the talks included territorial exchanges and non-NATO security arrangements for Kyiv, Trump answered: “I think those are the points we discussed. And in fact, we mostly agreed on them.”

Trump declined to reveal specifics, noting that details would be made public later. He emphasized that the possibility of resolving the Ukraine conflict in a “relatively short time” had become realistic after his meeting with Putin.

Putin Calls for Ending the Conflict Quickly

President Putin also expressed optimism, stating that the talks with Trump were conducted in a constructive and trusting manner. “We have every reason to believe that, moving in this direction, we can reach the end of the conflict in Ukraine — and the sooner the better,” Putin declared.

The Russian leader proposed that future talks could include Ukraine directly, in a trilateral format with himself, Trump, and Zelensky.

Next Steps: Possible Trilateral Summit

Trump revealed that preparations are underway for a meeting involving all three leaders. “Both want me to be present at the talks,” Trump said, adding that there is now “a very good chance” of reaching a deal.

However, in Kyiv, officials described the Alaska summit as “a very strange situation,” pointing out that Washington had not yet contacted Zelensky directly. A Ukrainian source quoted by the Financial Times dismissed the outcome as a “nothingburger,” saying real progress remained limited.

Summit Details and Atmosphere

• The meeting was held at the Elmendorf-Richardson military base in Anchorage and lasted nearly three hours in a “3-on-3” format: Putin, Lavrov, Ushakov vs. Trump, Rubio, and Witkoff.
• Both presidents gave short public statements afterward but refused to answer questions, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov saying their remarks were “comprehensive enough.”
• Trump later rated the summit a “10 out of 10,” noting that while no final deal was reached, substantial progress was made.
• Putin called the talks “useful and substantive,” and suggested that the next meeting could take place in Moscow.

First Putin Visit to the U.S. in Years

This was Putin’s first trip to the United States since 2015, and his first direct meeting with Trump since 2019. The visit lasted about five hours, marking a symbolic return of top-level dialogue between Moscow and Washington.