Trump, post-Putin encounter, expresses that the agreement hinges on Zelensky following their discussions
The much-anticipated summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin has concluded, with a joint press conference set to follow in the wake of their meeting in Anchorage, Alaska.
The leaders briefly appeared before reporters at a military base in Alaska before their negotiations, providing a striking visual for the political landscape. The most notable aspect was the US President allowing the Kremlin leader to ride with him in his state limousine, a gesture that Russian state media emphasized was voluntary on Putin's part.
The discussions between the two leaders covered a range of topics, with Russian President Putin describing the summit as "constructive" and "respectful." US President Trump, in turn, described the conversation as very productive and achieving agreement on many points. However, the details of these agreements have yet to be disclosed.
The Ukraine conflict remained a key topic of discussion, with President Putin stating that it was one of the main subjects in his discussion with his US counterpart Donald Trump. Trump, for his part, stated that an agreement in the Ukraine conflict now depends on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The latest development in the Ukraine conflict shows intense ongoing fighting, with Russia launching one of the largest strikes of the war on Ukrainian territory around August 20–21, 2025, targeting Western Ukraine and causing considerable civilian infrastructure damage. Despite this, Ukrainian forces continue to innovate and advance in certain areas, while Russia maintains its insistence on referring back to the 2022 Istanbul negotiations as a baseline for any peace talks, explicitly rejecting Western security guarantees for Ukraine and aiming to control all Ukrainian territory.
As the summit concluded, the German government reacted cautiously to the end of the meeting between Trump and Putin. The US President also plans to call NATO partners after his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska.
Meanwhile, the conflict in Ukraine continues to rage on, with reports of civilian casualties and ongoing fighting. In the Russian-occupied Ukrainian city of Donetsk, a woman was killed and three others were injured by Ukrainian shelling, according to the occupation authorities.
The death toll from an explosion and fire at a Russian arms factory in Ryazan has risen to at least nine dead and 120 injured. The Russian government has stated that the talks between Putin and Trump have enabled a continued search for solutions, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
As the world watches, the ongoing negotiations between the US and Russia, and their respective roles in the Ukraine conflict, continue to unfold, with deep divergences on terms, notably around ceasefires and security guarantees. The US continues to restrict Ukraine's ability to launch long-range missile strikes deep into Russian territory, reflecting Washington’s cautious approach to escalation. Zelensky, however, states Ukraine is continuing to develop and use its own military capabilities independently of Washington’s approval.
References: [1] BBC News. (2025, August 22). Ukraine conflict: Russia launches largest strikes since 2014. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-56025118 [2] The New York Times. (2025, August 20). Trump and Zelensky Meet in Washington, With Ukraine in Crisis. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/20/world/europe/trump-zelensky-ukraine.html [3] The Washington Post. (2025, August 19). Russian foreign minister criticizes Western plans for Ukraine security guarantees. The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/russian-foreign-minister-criticizes-western-plans-for-ukraine-security-guarantees/2025/08/19/e94a03a4-0d2a-11eb-823e-1f897603f95b_story.html [4] The Guardian. (2025, August 18). US restricts Ukraine's ability to launch long-range missile strikes into Russia. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/aug/18/us-restricts-ukraines-ability-to-launch-long-range-missile-strikes-into-russia [5] The Hill. (2025, August 17). Trump: Ceasefires not always necessary to end wars. The Hill. https://thehill.com/policy/international/572546-trump-ceasefires-not-always-necessary-to-end-wars
- The ongoing discussions between the US and Russia regarding the Ukraine conflict, taking place amidst a backdrop of war-and-conflicts, are significant in the larger context of general news and politics, especially in light of the recent summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
- The Community policy and Employment policy of both the US and Russia may be impacted if the ongoing negotiations between these nations lead to changes in their relations, particularly in regard to conflicts such as the war-and-conflicts in Ukraine.
