"Great progress" but still no ceasefire in Ukraine and no mention of the sanctions threatened for weeks. After nearly three hours of discussions with Vladimir Putin that took place in Alaska last night , "there is no agreement until there is an agreement," Donald Trump summarized ( LIVE ), who then briefed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the leaders of the European Union . Putin "doesn't want a ceasefire," he said, but "prefers a comprehensive agreement to end the war. And I also think that a quickly reached peace agreement is better than a ceasefire ."
Zelensky: "I'll meet with Trump on Monday."
Meanwhile, Kiev has given the green light to the trilateral meeting, Zelensky said openly on X. "I will meet with President Trump in Washington DC on Monday to discuss all the details related to ending the killings and the war. I am grateful for the invitation. We support President Trump's proposal for a trilateral meeting between Ukraine, the United States, and Russia. " "Ukraine emphasizes that key issues can be discussed at the leadership level and that a trilateral format is suitable for this purpose," Zelensky added. " Ukraine reiterates its willingness to work with maximum commitment to achieve peace . It is important that America's strength has an impact on the evolution of the situation."
Meloni: "A glimmer of hope is opening up."
" A glimmer of hope has finally opened for peace talks in Ukraine. Italy is doing its part, alongside its Western allies ." This was stated by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni after a round of phone calls with Trump, Zelensky, and other European leaders, who, according to a joint statement, "welcomed President Trump's efforts to stop the killings in Ukraine, end Russia's war of aggression, and achieve a just and lasting peace." "The next step must now be further dialogue with President Zelensky." "No limitations should be placed on Ukraine's armed forces or its cooperation with third countries. Russia cannot have veto power over Ukraine's path to the EU and NATO. It will be up to Ukraine to make decisions on its own soil ."
NATO and Donbass
The United States has proposed to Ukraine a security guarantee similar to NATO's Article 5, but without formal membership in the Atlantic Alliance, according to diplomatic sources. "As one of the security guarantees for Ukraine, the US has proposed an Article 5 guarantee, outside of NATO, with Putin's prior approval ," the source said, adding that this proposal was made in Kiev during the phone call between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky and "reiterated" later during the follow-up call with European leaders. "Putin has really succeeded in promoting the idea of the Ukrainians leaving Donbass" in eastern Ukraine, this source added, a possibility opposed by Zelensky. According to Axios's reconstruction, Trump reportedly relayed to Zelensky what Putin told him about the situation on the ground: that Russia was advancing on the front and could capture the entire Donetsk region.
Red carpets and applause
What immediately stood out in Alaska was the warm, friendly welcome given to the Kremlin leader, a far cry from the treatment he received a few months ago in the Oval Office with Zelensky. A red carpet was laid out for the tsar on the airport tarmac, and Trump himself applauded him, shook his hand, and then, in an unprecedented move, welcomed him into his presidential limousine , "The Beast," for the short ride from the military base to the official meeting location. Ten minutes of true face-to-face time, during which the two leaders were completely alone, without even translators.
The three-hour summit
The official meeting, which saw both men accompanied by small delegations, lasted nearly three hours. Afterward, they appeared before what was supposed to be a press conference, both speaking of "progress" and "agreements," but without providing any details about their conversation . And most importantly, they did not take questions from journalists.
Neither man ever mentioned the word truce from the stage, even though Trump had said before arriving in Anchorage that he would push for an immediate ceasefire : "I won't be happy if it doesn't happen today," he explained. Putin described the meeting as "constructive and useful," calling the war in Ukraine a "tragedy" and agreeing with Trump that "Ukraine's security must be guaranteed."
The press conference
The tsar—who, breaking protocol, opened the press conference despite not being the host and spoke for eight minutes, twice as long as Trump —repeatedly referred to "agreements" reached but without going into detail: the agreed-upon agreements "should be the starting point," he said. He added that he hoped Ukraine and Europe "would not hinder peace efforts." The Kremlin leader then invited Trump to Russia: "Next time, we'll see each other in Moscow," he said, thus emphasizing the good relations with the White House tenant and, experts note, his reinstatement on the international stage after being welcomed into the United States. "We had an extremely productive meeting, and many points were agreed upon. Only a few remain. Some are not that significant, one is probably the most significant, but we have a very good chance of getting there ," Trump said.
The interview with Fox News
Immediately after the meeting, the president gave an interview to Fox News: "I want people to stop dying in Ukraine," but "now it's up to Zelensky and the Europeans" to do something. "Putin has spoken very sincerely about his desire to end the war in Ukraine," and "to Zelensky, I say, 'Make a deal.'"
The UN: "Constructive dialogue"
Among the initial international reactions was the official one from the United Nations: "We have taken note of Friday's summit in Alaska between the US and Russian Presidents. We welcome the continuation of the constructive dialogue between Member States ," UN Secretary-General Stephane Dujarric, spokesman, told TASS. The UN reiterates its call for an "immediate, full, and unconditional ceasefire, as a first step towards a just, comprehensive, and sustainable peace in Ukraine, which fully respects its sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity, within internationally recognized borders, in line with the United Nations Charter, international law, and UN resolutions. The United Nations stands ready to support all efforts to this end."
(Unioneonline/D)
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