Trump to Confer with Putin in Alaska
The highly anticipated meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Anchorage, Alaska, on August 15-16, 2025, ended without a deal to halt Russia's war against Ukraine.
Despite positive descriptions of the meeting from both leaders, Trump acknowledged that they had not "gotten there" on the key issue of peace in Ukraine. However, he expressed optimism about future progress.
Trump had set a hard deadline of August 8 for Putin to accept a ceasefire, which passed without agreement. He indicated plans to quickly consult with NATO leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after the meeting.
Meanwhile, Putin, smiling after the talks, avoided making major concessions and hoped European leaders would not disrupt the new diplomatic process. Experts analyzing the talks noted Putin maintained maximalist war aims, and Trump appeared to hold the cards but did not secure concrete outcomes.
The proposed deal under discussion could involve Russia halting its offensives in southern Ukraine. However, the meeting discussions have not yet reached a consensus on territorial concessions from Ukraine. Limited Russian territorial concessions in Sumy, Kharkiv, and Mykolaiv are suggested in the deal.
President Zelensky has maintained his rejection of any territorial cession, as the Ukrainian constitution continues to prohibit territorial cession. The Ukrainian withdrawal from the Donbas is a proposed aspect of the potential deal.
The situation remains highly complex and politically sensitive. The primary focus of the meeting was to discuss an end to Russia's war against Ukraine. The meeting aimed to bring a much-needed diplomatic resolution to the ongoing conflict.
Further negotiations and consultations with international partners are anticipated next, as both leaders seek a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Ukraine.
[1] ABC News. (2025). Trump-Putin Summit Ends Without Deal on Ukraine. [online] Available at: https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/trump-putin-summit-ends-deal-ukraine-79015374
[2] CNN. (2025). Trump-Putin summit ends without deal on Ukraine. [online] Available at: https://www.cnn.com/2025/08/16/politics/trump-putin-summit-ukraine/index.html
Other news outlets reported on the general news that the Trump-Putin summit ended without a deal to halt war-and-conflicts in Ukraine, despite negotiations and consultations with international partners. The diplomatic process highlighted the complexity and political sensitivity of the ongoing Ukraine-Russia conflict, with both leaders seeking a peaceful resolution.
