US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin ended their high-profile summit on Friday without securing a deal on Ukraine. The three-hour talks produced warm words and promises of progress but no agreement on a ceasefire.
Speaking afterward, President Trump called the meeting “extremely productive” and said both leaders had agreed on “many points,” though he offered no details. “We’re not there yet. There’s no deal until there’s a deal,” he said.
Putin, for his part, said the discussions could help pave the way for peace in Ukraine. Smiling at Trump, he suggested their next meeting should be held in Moscow.
The summit highlighted the personal rapport between the two leaders. Putin praised Trump, claiming the war in Ukraine would not have started if Trump had been president earlier. Trump, meanwhile, repeated his criticism of US intelligence findings that Russia interfered in the 2016 election, calling them a “hoax.”
Before the summit, Trump had warned Russia of “severe consequences” if it refused to accept a ceasefire. But later, in an interview with Fox News, he suggested the day’s progress meant such measures were no longer necessary.
Notably, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was not included in the summit despite Trump’s earlier suggestion of a three-way meeting. Trump said he would now consult with Zelensky and NATO leaders, but added, “Now it’s really up to President Zelensky to get it done.”
Putin, however, warned Ukraine and European nations not to obstruct what he described as “emerging progress.”
The summit, their first in-person meeting since 2019, was carefully choreographed. Trump greeted Putin on the tarmac, applauded his arrival, and personally escorted him into the US presidential limousine known as “The Beast.” They later met under a banner reading “Pursuing Peace.”
Putin smiled throughout, even as reporters asked about civilian deaths in Ukraine. His visit came despite an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court over alleged war crimes.
Meanwhile, on the battlefield, Russia has recently made gains, strengthening Putin’s hand in negotiations, while Ukraine announced it had recaptured several villages.
Reacting after the summit, President Zelensky stressed that Russia must take the first steps to end the war. “It is time to end the war, and the necessary steps must be taken by Russia. We are counting on America,” he said.
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