Putin says Russia ‘sincerely interested’ in ending war as Trump vows to brief NATO, Zelensky
In a rare and closely watched diplomatic encounter, Donald Trump, US president welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson on Friday for their first in-person meeting since 2019 — and the first on American soil during Trump’s second term.
Against a backdrop emblazoned with “Alaska 2025” and “Pursuing Peace,” the two leaders shook hands before departing together in Trump’s presidential limousine — an unusual gesture in high-level diplomacy.
Read also: Trump says Putin is ready to end Ukraine war
Joining Putin for the talks were Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov, both veteran figures in shaping Russia’s global posture. Trump was accompanied by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff.
The closed-door meeting, which lasted about three hours, came amid intense international focus on whether it might deliver progress towards ending the war in Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had said Kyiv’s “number one” demand for the Alaska summit was a ceasefire, calling it the necessary foundation for meaningful peace talks. He has pushed for a future three-way summit with the US and Russia, insisting that “everything concerning Ukraine must be discussed exclusively with Ukraine.”
Read also: Russia hopes for improving ties with U.S. after Putin-Trump Alaska summit
Putin avoided direct answers on a ceasefire when questioned by reporters at the airport, but later struck a conciliatory tone at a joint news conference held earlier than scheduled. He described the talks as “constructive” and “held in a spirit of mutual respect,” thanking Trump for inviting him to Alaska.
“The situation in Ukraine has to do with fundamental threats to our security,” Putin said, while emphasising that Russia still sees Ukrainians as a “brotherly nation” and that the war is “a tragedy for us.” He acknowledged that relations between Washington and Moscow had fallen “to the lowest point since the Cold War,” calling the meeting “long overdue” and urging a shift from confrontation to dialogue.
Read also: Trump open to talks with Putin, Zelensky as white house confirms push for Ukraine ceasefire
On Ukraine, Putin said he agreed with Trump that its security “must be secured” and expressed hope that the understandings reached in Alaska would “pave the path towards peace.” He stopped short of announcing concrete steps but hinted at readiness to address what he called Russia’s “legitimate concerns” as part of a lasting settlement.
Trump, who said he would brief NATO allies and speak to Zelensky after the meeting, noted that “most” points had been agreed, though “a couple of big ones” remain unresolved. When asked about Putin’s suggestion to hold the next meeting in Moscow, Trump replied with a grin: “I’ll get a little heat on that one, but I could see it possibly happening.”
Read also:Trump issues 12-day deadline to end Ukraine war, warns of sanctions on Russia
Putin added a symbolic flourish to the day by recalling Alaska’s history as Russian territory before its sale to the US in the 19th century. Pointing to the state’s Russian Orthodox heritage, he quipped that when the two leaders met earlier on the tarmac, he greeted Trump with, “Hello, neighbour.”
Whether the Alaska summit will mark a genuine turning point in the Ukraine conflict remains to be seen. But the optics of two rival powers sitting down in America’s far north — separated by just four kilometres of Bering Strait — sent a clear signal that dialogue, however tentative, is back on the table.
