Trump and Putin leave Alaska with no Ukraine deal

55 minutes ago Share Save Jake Lapham BBC News in Anchorage Share Save

Watch: How the Trump-Putin summit unfolded in 82 seconds

US President Donald Trump has left Alaska without a deal to end the war in Ukraine, following a high-stakes meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. “There’s no deal until there’s a deal,” Trump told the world’s media following the meeting, adding that “great progress” was made but “we didn’t get there”. On his flight back to Washington he held a call with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, who later said he would travel to Washington on Monday. European leaders were also on the call. Despite the fanfare around the summit – and Trump’s confidence in being able to achieve a ceasefire – no tangible progress was made towards a resolution to the war in Ukraine.

Every stage of the leaders’ arrival at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage was carefully choreographed. Putin, who is facing an International Criminal Court arrest warrant for alleged war crimes in Ukraine, stepped off his jet and onto a red carpet to be warmly greeted by Trump. Over the roar of a B2 bomber overhead, the two leaders posed for photos before climbing in Trump’s presidential vehicle, known as The Beast. But despite the pageantry and public shows of geniality – as well as the Kremlin’s earlier estimate that the meeting could last six or seven hours – Trump and Putin emerged less than three hours later with just a joint statement to the press.

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Putin said that, in order to make a “settlement lasting and long-term, we need to eliminate the root causes of the conflict” in Ukraine. The phrase indicated that Putin has not budged from his longstanding position that Ukraine should withdraw from four regions partially occupied by Russia – Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia – and give up its efforts to join the Nato military alliance. Zelensky has ruled out retreating from the four embattled region, warning that would leave the door open for an emboldened Russia to mount another offensive in the future. Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than three years ago, after annexing the Crimean peninsula in 2014. Putin also urged Ukrainians and Europeans to “not throw a wrench” into the peace process. Trump remained silent as his guest spent about eight minutes addressing the media. After being given the floor, the US president said he had a “fantastic relationship with President Putin. Vladimir,” switching to the Russian leader’s first name. Even though “many points were agreed to”, he said, “a few” remain, adding that “one is the most significant” – without specifying what that key sticking point was. Neither took questions. The two also did not attend the planned bilateral “working lunch” that was set to follow the talks.

Reuters Donald Trump boards Air Force One as he departs Alaska