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The U.S. and Russia met at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, to discuss ending Moscow’s war against Ukraine, which began in February 2022. The White House noted that Putin initiated the meeting, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky not invited.
Trump stated, “The meeting was a 10 in the sense that we got along great. And it’s good when two big powers get along, especially when they’re nuclear powers.” He added, “We’re number one, they’re number two in the world, and that’s a big deal.”
Following the three-hour summit, Trump said the ball is now in Zelensky’s court but refused to comment on whether Putin made any concessions.
On Ukraine’s side, there was little hope for progress. Oleksandr Merezhko, chair of the foreign affairs committee in the Ukrainian parliament, told The New York Times that Putin “won the informational war” and repeated his talking points, saying, “I don’t see any changes.”
Regarding Trump’s comments, Putin said, “If President Trump was the president back then, there would be no war. So I can confirm that.” He also stated, “Trump clearly cares about the prosperity of his nation but understands Russia has its own interests.”
For future steps, Trump suggested a follow-up meeting between himself, Putin, and Zelensky.
