Alaska Summit: Putin Wins Big in ‘No Deal’ Meeting with Trump
Russian President Vladimir Putin meets US President Donald Trump in Alaska! (Image Russian MFA)
Alaska summit produced no ceasefire, no concrete deal, and no clear roadmap on Ukraine, with analysts calling the outcome vague
By TRH Global Affairs Desk
NEW DELHI, August 16, 2025 —The much-anticipated Alaska summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin concluded on Friday with handshakes, praise, and promises of future dialogue — but no ceasefire, no concrete deal, and little clarity on the path forward in the Russia-Ukraine war.
Commentators and correspondents across major outlets described the outcome as “vague” and “light on substance.” ABC News’ Chief White House Correspondent Mary Bruce noted the press conference was “incredibly vague,” while Really American remarked that the meeting delivered “no ceasefire, no deal, no multi-lateral next meeting, no details disclosed, no questions taken — just a lot of compliments heaped on Putin.”
Putin struck a conciliatory note, declaring, “I would like to hope that the agreement that we’ve reached together will pave the path towards peace in Ukraine. Russia is sincerely interested in putting an end to the conflict.” Trump, meanwhile, called the discussions “great progress” but gave no specifics.
Global reactions underscored the ambiguity. The Economist said the Alaska meeting “transformed Russia’s president from a pariah of the West into an honoured guest on American soil.” The Wall Street Journal observed that “the Alaska summit ended Putin’s isolation from the West, and he didn’t have to give up anything for it.” The New York Times described the gathering as one of the least clarifying East-West summits in modern history.
From Moscow, officials said the three-on-three talks wrapped up after 2 hours and 45 minutes. Yet, the Kremlin, too, avoided disclosing details.
On Capitol Hill, Senator Lisa Murkowski struck a cautious note of optimism, saying, “While the press conference offered few details about their meeting, I’m cautiously optimistic that some level of progress was made. Ukraine must be part of any negotiated settlement and must freely agree to its terms.”
Analysts were more skeptical. Sky News correspondent James Matthews suggested Trump appeared to acknowledge that “he is not necessarily in charge when he is in the company of Putin.” Former US ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul concluded, “Alaska was not Yalta 2.0. That’s the good news. But that’s a pretty low bar.”
While uncertainty lingers, commentators concur that the Alaska summit offered Putin diplomatic rehabilitation without concessions, leaving the fate of Ukraine unresolved.
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