U.S. President Donald Trump welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin to a highly staged summit at Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, the first such meeting between U.S. and Russian leaders on American soil in nearly two decades. Yet despite grand gestures, no cease-fire or peace agreement was brokered, leaving critics alarmed and Ukraine’s leaders wary.
The summit began with a lavish welcome: Putin received a red carpet and military honors, even riding in Trump’s presidential limousine. Critics viewed the spectacle as undermining broader Western efforts to pressure Putin over his invasion of Ukraine. Still, Trump claimed the meeting was “very productive,” though he made it clear: “there’s no deal until there’s a deal.”
Despite the absence of substantive outcomes, experts and observers argue that Putin left the summit a winner not because of any concession, but by being treated as a dignified equal on American soil. The optics themselves boosted his international standing, even as the war in Ukraine continued unabated.
While neither leader outlined any concrete framework, both expressed cautious optimism. Trump signaled plans for a potential follow-up summit and emphasized ongoing dialogue, especially with Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy and NATO allies. Putin spoke of dialogue replacing confrontation, though specifics were scant.
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy swiftly announced plans to visit Washington next Monday seeking to ensure Ukraine remained central to any diplomatic process. European allies reaffirmed their support and called for strong, enforceable security guarantees for Kyiv.
In the lead-up, Russia played a provocative role: Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov donned a Soviet-era “CCCP” sweatshirt, and “Chicken Kiev” was served aboard the Russian press plane seen as blatant jabs at Ukraine’s sovereignty.
Domestically, Trump’s decision to host Putin sparked sharp criticism in Washington. Some Republicans offered cautious praise, but Democrats denounced the summit’s lack of substance and its optics, especially given Putin’s indictment by the International Criminal Court.
