That is, of course, what they have to say. Predicting what will actually happen is another matter.

One person familiar with Wednesday’s meeting sounded a note of caution. While “overall there was a positive atmosphere,” they told POLITICO, “Trump, as always, talked a lot about what he would do, but in a way that no one could say what exactly he was going to do.”

Trump’s views on Russia and on Putin, whom he once hailed as a “genius,” do seem to be hardening. Angling for a Nobel Peace Prize, he is promising “severe consequences” if Putin does not seem serious in Alaska about ending the war, presumably meaning that the U.S. will ramp up secondary sanctions on countries that trade with Russia.

But the Europeans are fully aware it is not so long since Trump publicly humiliated Zelenskyy, pushed Ukraine to pay for the costs of the war via a minerals deal and mused about the merits of big economic development deals with Putin. They will be very wary of Putin and Trump shifting the conversation to lucrative contracts for energy and rare earth minerals, and away from topics such as reparations and abducted children.

Has Vance changed his tune?

Even Vance, known as an arch-critic of Ukraine after his tirade against Zelenskyy in the Oval Office in February, had changed his views, according to a European official.

Another European official quipped: “People were pretty impressed by Vance, who is looking for solutions while being clear that Putin is the bad guy here.”

Vladimir Putin told Donald Trump that he would end the war if Ukraine surrenders the Donetsk region to Russia, The Telegraph can reveal.

The Russian president said he would make unspecified territorial concessions in Kyiv’s favour in exchange for control over the mineral rich eastern oblast.

Reports suggested these concessions could be made in the tiny slivers of land Russia controls in Sumy and Kharkiv, while the frontlines in Ukraine’s south would be frozen.

His demands were outlined by the US president in a call with Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine’s president, and a group of European leaders following their meeting in Alaska.

The details of the peace summit in Anchorage will further fuel fears that Mr Zelensky will be pressured to cede territory and accept numerous Russian demands as part of Mr Trump’s quick-fire attempt to end the war.

“Trump wants this done as soon as possible,” a European official told the Telegraph.

Mr Zelensky has made clear that he is not willing to discuss ceding territory that is not already controlled by Russian forces as part of any peace deal.

In an interview, Trump advised Zelensky to “make a deal” with Russia, later suggesting the two countries should “go directly” to peace rather than sign a ceasefire first

Sir Keir Starmer said Trump had brought the world closer to peace after a call with the US president

President Zelensky said he would visit Washington on Monday after calling Trump this morning

Presidents Trump and Putin failed to reach a Ukraine ceasefire deal at their summit in Alaska

Putin has demanded Ukraine’s military withdraw from Donetsk and Luhansk as the price for ending the conflict, it has been reported.

If Trump agreed to his demands, then the Russian president said he would freeze the rest of the frontline, in an offer made when the two met in Alaska yesterday.

The offer was reported by the Financial Times and Axios, citing sources with direct knowledge of the talks.

They reported the US president told the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other European leaders in a call. He urged them to drop attempts to secure a ceasefire.

If there was agreement, the deal would give Putin control of areas which Russia has partially occupied for over a decade.

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Putin also demanded that the conflict’s “root causes” were resolved, meaning the rollback of Nato’s eastward expansion.

Putin calls Alaska meeting ‘timely’ and ‘useful’

SPUTNIK/VYACHESLAV PROKOFYEV/POOL/REUTERS

President Putin is speaking in the Kremlin following meeting President Trump in Alaska yesterday.

He said he would like to resolve the conflict in Ukraine through peaceful means. He said he had discussed the reasons for the conflict with the US president.

He also said the visit to Alaska was “timely” and “useful”.

The US and Russia are now “closer to making appropriate decisions”, Putin added.

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Democrats attack Trump across social media

Democrats have attacked Trump over his meeting with Putin on social media.

“We prayed for peace but instead got praise for Putin,” Nancy Pelosi from the US House of Representatives said.

Pelosi says Putin “should immediately return the tens of thousands of children he kidnapped from Ukraine and stop the raping of women as a weapon of war”.

Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer blamed Trump for his warm welcome of an “authoritarian thug”.

“Instead of standing with Ukraine and our allies, Trump stood shoulder to shoulder with an autocrat that has terrorised the Ukrainian people and the globe for years,” he says.

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Analysis: What Putin said — and what he meant

President Putin used naked flattery on President Trump in Alaska and left his options open to keep Europe and Ukraine guessing. Read Professor Mark Galeotti’s analysis.

European leaders invited to Trump-Zelensky meeting

European leaders are invited to attend the Monday meeting with Presidents Trump and Zelensky at the White House.

Trump told European leaders after his talks with President Putin that he supported a plan to end the war in Ukraine by ceding unconquered territory to Russia, the New York Times reported.

Zelensky, who was not invited to Alaska for the summit, said he had a “long and substantive” conversation with Trump early on Saturday.

He said they would “discuss all of the details regarding ending the killing and the war” on Monday. It will be Zelensky’s first visit to the US since Trump berated him publicly for being “disrespectful” during an extraordinary Oval Office meeting in February.

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Trump, who also held calls with European leaders on Saturday, confirmed the White House meeting and said that “if all works out, we will then schedule a meeting with President Putin”.

European allies to meet before Zelensky’s US trip

Sir Keir Starmer will co-chair a meeting with European allies on Sunday before President Zelensky’s visit to Washington on Monday.

The prime minister will join a video call at 3pm with President Macron of France and Friedrich Merz, the German chancellor.

The meeting involves Kyiv’s allies, described as the “coalition of the willing“, a loose partnership of Western countries pledging support for Ukraine.

The group was created by France and the UK in February, and is made up of dozens of nations. It is expected to deploy a peacekeeping force to Ukraine after a potential cessation of hostilities.

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Reporting and analysis from The Times

Trump and Putin’s Alaska summit came to an inconclusive end, but the details that have emerged from the talks and since point to a change in direction for negotiations over Ukraine.

After phone calls with President Zelensky and European leaders on Trump’s flight back to Washington, the Ukrainian leader announced he would visit the US capital on Monday.

George Grylls, The Times’ Washington correspondent, identified four key moments from the 12-minute press conference jointly held by the two leaders.

David Charter, assistant US editor, writes that the “anticlimax in Anchorage” ended without a deal and left the door open for US-Russia relations to either improve or falter.

For Ukraine, anger at the red-carpet welcome for Putin has reinforced fears that Russia is strengthening its hand, writes Catherine Philp in Kyiv.

Patel: Trump will want to see action from UK

Dame Priti Patel has said that Trump will want to “see action” from the UK and possibly British troops in Ukraine to guarantee its security.

The shadow foreign secretary praised the outcome of Friday’s summit between Trump and Putin. “You’ve got to have action. Trump’s an action type president, he’ll want to see action from us,” she said.

Patel added: “This is about security guarantees. Because it’s our security that’s at stake here, as well as Ukraine’s.

“We’re not there yet. We’re clearly not there. So it’s about all the measures and all the steps that would take place before we even get to that stage and we get to that level.”

Russia ‘may increase attacks’

Russia may step up frontline attacks in the coming days to create more favourable political circumstances for talks, President Zelensky has said.

“We are documenting the movement and preparations of Russian troops. Of course, we will counteract, if necessary, asymmetrically,” he wrote on X.

He added: “I asked the Commander-in-Chief to speak with combat commanders. Ukraine needs strong positions and truly tangible resistance to the enemy.”

The warning comes after Russia launched 85 drones and a ballistic missile overnight. The attack was aimed at targets in the Sumy, Donetsk, Chernihiv and Dnipropetrovsk regions.

Meloni takes credit for Nato-style guarantee

The idea to offer Ukraine a Nato-style security guarantee was first suggested to President Trump by Italy, the country’s prime minister has said.

Giorgia Meloni praised the outcome of the summit on Saturday and appeared to take some credit for what could become a key plank of a future peace deal.

Meloni said: “The crucial point remains security guarantees to prevent new Russian invasions, and this is the aspect where the most interesting developments were recorded in Anchorage.”

She added: “President Trump today took up the Italian idea of security guarantees inspired by Article 5 of Nato.”

Under this idea, Ukraine would not become part of Nato, but “a collective security clause” would allow it “to benefit from the support of all its partners, including the US, ready to take action if it is attacked again”.

Von der Leyen calls for security pact

The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen said that “strong security guarantees” for Ukraine and Europe were “essential” in any peace deal to end the war in Ukraine.

She added: “The EU is working closely with Zelensky and the United States to reach a just and lasting peace.”

‘Nato-style’ protection, but no membership

The US has offered Ukraine Nato-style security guarantees in the event of a peace deal but without officially joining the military bloc.

It would mean that the US and Ukraine’s European allies would be obliged to respond to a future attack on Ukraine in some way, similar to the Article 5 mutual defence clause that underpins Nato.

European leaders were seeking clarity on what kind of role the US would play if such a clause is included in any future peace deal, Reuters reported.

The suggestion was raised during a call President Trump held with President Zelensky and European leaders early on Saturday, according to the news agency.

Nato regards any attack launched on one of its 32 members as an attack on all under its Article 5 clause.

Former defence secretary scores Trump one out of ten for summit

Ben Wallace has said he would give Trump a score of “one out of ten” after the US president’s meeting with Putin.

The former defence secretary was asked how he would rate the summit after Trump described the talks as “ten out of ten”.

Wallace told Times Radio: “Probably one out of ten [for Trump], I think. Putin’s probably got ten out of ten — he got exactly what he wanted.

“He didn’t change one iota his ambitions and his constant, to be fair to him, his constant position on Ukraine. He got a red carpet treatment, which contrasted extremely differently from the treatment of President Zelensky when he met the US president.”

He added: “At the same time, he managed to effectively, in the sort of communications, almost downplay Ukraine war as if it was something minor, and he was really about rebuilding superpower status of Russia and the United States. So ten out of ten, Putin got what he wanted. And I think President Trump got a trip to Alaska.”

Putin will drag out peace talks, EU chief warns

Russia has no intention of ending its war in Ukraine “any time soon”, the EU’s top diplomat has said.

Kaja Kallas, a fierce Putin critic, who is on Russia’s most-wanted list, warned that Moscow would try to drag out negotiations with the US.

She said: “President [Donald] Trump’s resolve to get a peace deal is vital … Putin continues to drag out negotiations and hopes he gets away with it. He left Anchorage without making any commitments.

“The US holds the power to force Russia to negotiate seriously. The EU will work with Ukraine and the US.”

Russia accuses Ukraine of shelling city block

Emergency workers carried injured civilians out of the building in Donetsk ALEXANDER ERMOCHENKO/REUTERS

Russia’s military claimed that a block of flats was damaged by a Ukrainian strike overnight, as Trump and Putin met for their summit in Alaska.

Images showed workers removing debris from the area in the city of Donetsk, which was seized by Russia in October 2022 after the invasion of Ukraine.

The damage was evident in the morning light ALEXANDER ERMOCHENKO/REUTERS

Meanwhile Ukraine claimed that Russia had launched 85 drones and a ballistic missile overnight.

Zelensky: Sanction Putin if he avoids peace

President Zelensky said he had urged President Trump to impose stronger sanctions on Russia if President Putin tried to avoid a three-way summit or “an honest end to the war”.

In a statement on social media after speaking to European leaders, the Ukrainian president called for “a real peace that will last”, including an end to attacks by land, air and sea, the release of prisoners and the return of abducted children.

Zelensky also said that the security of Ukraine needed to be guaranteed in the long term by both Europe and the US and repeated his insistence that Ukraine must be involved in any negotiations over territory.

He added: “In my conversation with President Trump, I said that sanctions should be strengthened if there is no trilateral meeting or if Russia evades an honest end to the war. Sanctions are an effective tool.”

No ban on Ukraine joining Nato, Europe demands

European leaders have laid out their conditions for peace between Russia and Ukraine.

They called for “ironclad” security guarantees for Ukraine, the involvement of the “coalition of the willing” in postwar Ukraine’s security, no limits on Ukraine’s army or co-operation with third countries and no Russian veto on Ukraine joining Nato or the EU.

The statement, signed by leaders including Sir Keir Starmer, did not mention Trump’s new claim that peace talks were preferable to a ceasefire.

Russia would prefer an immediate peace deal because it would allow the war to continue while talks take place. A ceasefire would be likely to favour Ukraine because it could offer a reprieve from Russian attacks.

Starmer praises Trump’s ‘leadership’

Sir Keir Starmer has praised President Trump for making progress towards a peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia at the Alaska summit.

He said: “President Trump’s efforts have brought us closer than ever before to ending Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine. His leadership in pursuit of an end to the killing should be commended.”

However, Starmer warned that peace could not be decided without President Zelensky and reaffirmed the UK’s commitment to providing security guarantees to Ukraine, which he said would be “crucial in deterring Putin from coming back for more”.

Starmer added: “In the meantime, until he stops his barbaric assault, we will keep tightening the screws on his [Putin’s] war machine with even more sanctions, which have already had a punishing impact on the Russian economy and its people. Our unwavering support for Ukraine will continue as long as it takes.”

European leaders pledge to ‘uphold pressure’ on Russia

Sir Keir Starmer and other European leaders have issued a joint statement declaring their continued support for a “strong” Ukraine.

“As long as the killing in Ukraine continues, we stand ready to uphold the pressure on Russia,” the statement said. “We will continue to strengthen sanctions and wider economic measures to put pressure on Russia’s war economy until there is a just and lasting peace.”

The leaders rejected any question of a Russian veto on Ukraine’s potential membership of Nato or the EU, and said a European “coalition of the willing” was ready to take part in guaranteeing Ukraine’s security.

The statement was signed by President Macron, Giorgia Meloni, Friedrich Merz, President Stubb of Finland and Poland’s prime minister, Donald Tusk, as well as the presidents of the European Council and the European Commission.

‘Zero chance’ of progress, warns ex-ambassador

President Trump’s failure to pressure President Putin at the summit in Alaska means there is “zero” prospect of any progress in peace talks, a former British ambassador to Ukraine has said.

Leigh Turner told Times Radio that the meeting in Anchorage seemed to be more about “backslapping and hugging” between two people who see themselves as “big men”.

“We are not going to see any sanctions on Russia, so the prospects of any progress are zero,” he said. “President Trump seems very inclined to make a deal over the heads of the Ukrainians, make a bilateral deal with Russia and then to put pressure on Ukraine to agree to it.”

Turner said Europe must “stand firm” and support Ukraine economically and militarily to ensure that its borders cannot be changed by force, “because if that happens, none of us are safe”.

Glimmer of hope for peace, says Meloni

The prime minister of Italy was among several European leaders to praise the outcome of Trump’s summit with Putin on Saturday.

Giorgia Meloni said in a statement: “A glimmer of hope has finally opened to discuss peace in Ukraine. Italy is doing its part, along with its western allies.”

Trilateral summit could be next step

Trump added that a further summit with Putin would be arranged “if all works out” during Zelensky’s visit to Washington.

“Potentially, millions of people’s lives will be saved!” the US president added.

In February Zelensky’s meeting with Trump at the White House ended abruptly after a row on live television. The Ukrainian leader was effectively thrown out without signing a proposed agreement on mineral rights. The deal was eventually signed in April.

Skip ceasefire and secure peace, says Trump

President Trump said the best way of ending the war in Ukraine was to “go directly to a peace agreement” rather than a ceasefire.

In a post on his Truth Social platform, the US president suggested that President Zelensky and other European leaders also backed this approach, which contradicts their previous calls for a ceasefire before any talks on a possible settlement.

Trump wrote: “It was determined by all that the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a Peace Agreement, which would end the war, and not a mere Ceasefire Agreement, which often times do not hold up.”

He confirmed he would meet Zelensky in Washington on Monday and said that his meeting with President Putin “went very well”. It was, he said, “a great and very successful day in Alaska!”

‘World is a safer place’ after summit

Viktor Orban, the prime minister of Hungary, said that “the world is a safer place” after the summit in Alaska.

Orban, a strong ally of both Trump and Putin, wrote on X: “For years we have watched the two biggest nuclear powers dismantle the framework of their co-operation and shoot unfriendly messages back and forth. That has now come to an end. Today the world is a safer place than it was yesterday. May every weekend be at least this good!”

European leaders meet without Trump

Sir Keir Starmer has joined a second call with President Zelensky and other European leaders, this time without President Trump.

It follows an earlier call during which Trump outlined his discussions with President Putin in Alaska.

The cast list of the second call is believed to be similar to the first, which involved Mark Rutte, the Nato secretary general, Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, and the leaders of France, Italy, Finland, Germany and Poland.

Ukraine remains whole, but Putin’s hand gets stronger

Ukrainians woke up with a strong sense of relief that their country had not been carved up thousands of miles away in Alaska (writes Catherine Philp in Kyiv).

But the nothing-burger, in local parlance, that was served up carries its own jeopardy.

On Air Force One Trump suggested the ball was in Zelensky’s court, with no mention of the “serious consequences” with which he had threatened Putin.

The call for more talks tracks Putin’s preferred form of this game: stretch them out to avoid blame while continuing to fight for the military victory the Kremlin believes is possible.

With time on his side and no punitive measures, Putin emerged as the winner in Alaska, even if he didn’t get to stay for lunch. He got the red carpet treatment, he was welcomed as a statesman, not a pariah and indicted war criminal unable to set foot in 125 countries for fear of arrest.

Ukraine’s worst nightmares did not come true overnight — but a strengthened Russian-US relationship on other matters, and an American president losing interest in the conflict or indeed confidence in his ability to solve it, may point to nightmares yet to come.

Watch: Ukrainians shocked by Putin’s red-carpet reception

Residents of Ukraine said that they were horrified by how the Russian leader had been treated

Ukraine optimistic on US security guarantees

Zelensky said that the US had given “positive signals” about its involvement in security guarantees for Ukraine after any ceasefire deal.

He said that European involvement was important “for the sake of reliable security guarantees together with America”.

“We discussed positive signals from the American side regarding participation in guaranteeing security for Ukraine. We continue to co-ordinate our positions with all partners. Thank you to everyone who helps!”

Zelensky to visit Washington next week

President Zelensky released this image with a message about his call with Trump

President Zelensky said he wanted a three-way meeting with Presidents Trump and Putin to discuss an end to the war in Ukraine.

“We support President Trump’s proposal for a trilateral meeting between Ukraine, the USA, and Russia,” he said on social media.

“Ukraine emphasizes that key issues can be discussed at the level of leaders, and a trilateral format is suitable for this.”

He added that he had a “long, meaningful conversation” with Trump for about an hour before European leaders joined for a further 30 minutes.

The Ukrainian president confirmed that he would meet Trump in Washington on Monday.

Zelensky and Trump hold call

President Zelensky spoke to Trump in a one-on-one phone call after the summit, before European leaders joined in the discussion, the Ukraine president’s office has confirmed.

“It was a lengthy call — initially between Presidents Zelensky and Trump, after which the European leaders joined in,” the office said in a statement.

Trump said in an interview with Fox News that he advised Zelensky to “make a deal”. He also raised the possibility of a three-way summit involving Putin, Zelensky and himself.

Starmer speaks with Trump and Zelensky

Sir Keir Starmer spoke to President Trump and President Zelensky after the summit in Alaska, Downing Street said.

Also on the call were the Nato chief, Mark Rutte, the leaders of Italy, France, Finland, Germany and Poland, and Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission.

No 10 said that Starmer would speak with European leaders again this morning.

Kremlin shares video of US jets escorting Putin

The Kremlin has issued a video of American jets escorting President Putin out of Alaska.

In a post on Telegram, the official press office account said: “F-22 fighter jets accompanied the Russian President’s aircraft on its way from Alaska to Russia.”

One of the most-tracked flights on the FlightRadar tracking website is a Russian government Ilyushin Il-96 aircraft travelling from Anchorage to Moscow, where it is due to arrive at 5.31pm local time.

Trump disembarks Air Force Once

ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP/GETTY IMAGES

President Trump has left the plane and got into a waiting car without making any comment.

The US president emerged from Air Force One and slowly walked down the stairs, giving a brief thumbs up to the assembled journalists.

Trump called Zelensky and Nato leaders during flight

President Trump spoke to President Zelensky in a “lengthy call” during his flight back to Washington, the White House said.

Video from Joint Base Andrews showed Air Force One stationary on the tarmac as reporters waited for the president to emerge from the plane.

Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, said Trump was on the phone with Nato leaders.

Trump keeps quiet on Air Force One

President Trump did not speak to reporters on his return flight from the summit in Alaska, but his Fox News interview played on the aircraft’s televisions.

Air Force One touched down at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland at 2am local time (7am UK time)

Missiles and drones strike Ukraine overnight

While President Putin was negotiating in Alaska, Russia launched dozens of ballistic missiles and drones overnight, according to Ukraine’s military.

Air defences shot down at least 61 drones in the north and east of Ukraine from 7.30pm on Friday until 8am on Saturday, the armed forces said.

The barrage included a short-range Iskander missile as well as attack drones, which were launched against targets in the Sumy, Donetsk, Chernihiv and Dnipropetrovsk regions of Ukraine.

Key takeaways from the leaders’ meeting

ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP/GETTY IMAGES

After private talks lasting almost three hours, President Putin and President Trump’s joint press conference at the Elmendorf base in Alaska was uncharacteristically brief.

George Grylls, Washington correspondent for The Times, writes about the four key moments from the 12-minute session, which included statements from both leaders but no questions from the assembled journalists.

Perhaps the most memorable comment came from Putin about the possibility of a second summit: “Next time in Moscow?”

• Read more: Four key moments from an unusually brief press conference

Analysis: Summit raises more questions than it answers

Trump did not answer questions during the joint press conference DREW ANGERER/AFP/GETTY IMAGES

President Trump’s highly anticipated summit with President Putin began with smiles and banter but ended as the “anticlimax in Anchorage” — with no ceasefire for Ukraine or even an agreement on where to meet for the follow-up summit at which the US president had wanted to make a peace deal.

The Times’s David Charter notes that Trump uncharacteristically refused to take questions before heading back to the east coast. He writes: “Trump’s waning energy was felt in the military-base ballroom that served as the venue for a press conference which he seemed keen to leave just as soon as he could.”

• Read more: Trump’s summit with Putin raises more questions than it answers

Trump: A lot of points were agreed on

Trump claimed that a deal to end the war in Ukraine was “pretty close” in an interview with Fox News after the summit.

The US president told Sean Hannity, one of his favourite TV presenters, that “a lot of points were agreed on” but there were “one or two pretty significant items” left to resolve.

He added: “I think we are pretty close to a deal. Now look, Ukraine has to agree to it. Maybe they will say no … Now it’s up to President Zelensky to get it done.”

Trump stays off social media on return flight

President Trump was uncharacteristically quiet on his Truth Social platform after his much-anticipated summit with President Putin.

Trump posted a video of their joint press conference in Anchorage but did not share any further insights into the meeting.

Air Force One left Alaska at 4.21pm local time. The flight back to Joint Base Andrews in Maryland is roughly six hours, meaning he would be touching down at about 2.20am Eastern Time (ET), or 7.20am UK time.

Russia explains lack of questions in press conference

The US president Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin skipped answering questions at Friday’s joint press conference because their statements said it all, according to the Kremlin’s spokesman.

“Exhaustive statements were made,” Dmitry Peskov said while explaining why the floor was not opened to reporters, according to Russia’s RIA Novosti news agency.

Peskov said: “The conversation is really very positive, and the two presidents spoke about it. This is the very conversation that allows us to confidently continue moving forward together on the path of seeking resolution options.”

Trump softens stance on tariffs

There appears to have been a softening of Trump’s stance following the meeting with Putin.

Before the summit he repeatedly warned of “severe consequences” for Russia if he was not satisfied by the outcome of the talks.

Speaking to Sean Hannity, Trump said he was not immediately considering tariffs on countries that purchase Russian energy.

“I may have to think about it in two weeks or three weeks or something, but we don’t have to think about that right now,” Trump said. “I think the meeting went very well.”

Melania wrote to Putin about abducted children

Melania Trump, the first lady, raised the plight of Ukrainian and Russian children affected by the war in a personal letter to President Putin, according to the White House.

President Trump hand-delivered the note to Putin during Friday’s summit in Alaska, two officials told Reuters.

The letter reportedly concerned the abduction of children during the war. Ukraine has called the abduction of tens thousands of its children into Russian-occupied territory or Russia itself a war crime that meets the UN treaty definition of genocide.

Moscow has said it has been protecting children from a warzone.

Russian envoy hails meeting

Kirill Dmitriev, the Russian economic envoy, said the summit had gone well from Moscow’s perspective.

“The US side without doubt received the Russian side very well,” he said in a statement on Telegram.

“It’s also important that President Trump noted the significant potential of economic co-operation between Russia and the US.”

Maga base celebrates summit

As Trump tells Fox News “the meeting was a ten”, the Maga base is rallying behind the president (Katy Balls writes).

After suggestions in the media that Trump failed his own test for the summit given Putin did not agree to a ceasefire, several figures in the Make America Great Again movement have come out to praise Trump.

The activist Charlie Kirk has taken to X to say “anything the media says about the Alaska summit must be immediately discredited because they are mad Trump met with Putin at all”.

The congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene said: “President Trump is moving us toward PEACE after talks with Putin on Ukraine. Strong leadership ends wars. Not endless checks to foreign countries. America is back and leading the way. America First!”

It’s worth noting that these figures have long been critical of ongoing US support for the Ukraine war so are keen for as quick an end to the conflict as possible — even if the terms were unsatisfactory to Ukrainians.

Trump to be ‘in the room’ for Zelensky-Putin summit

Wrapping up the interview, Trump said both Zelensky and Putin want him “in the room” if they hold a meeting to discuss ending the war.

Pushed by Hannity when the summit could be held, Trump said in a “fairly short” time period.

Putin told Trump he won Biden election ‘by so much’

Trump said it was “very nice” of Hillary Clinton to say he should be nominated for a Nobel peace prize if he negotiates a fair and lasting peace in Ukraine.

Returning to the theme of the 2020 election, which he insists was stolen, Trump said Putin told him “your election was rigged because you have mail-in voting”.

The Russian president allegedly told Trump that it was a “rigged election” and “you won that election by so much”.

Presidents ‘largely agreed on land swap’

Asked by Hannity how the war in Ukraine might end and if there will be a land swap, Trump said “those are points that we largely agreed on”.

“The meeting was a very warm meeting,” Trump said. “He’s a strong guy,” he said of Putin. “He’s tough as hell and all of that, but the meeting was a very warm meeting between two very important countries.”

Asked what his advice would be to Zelensky, Trump said, “Make a deal,” adding that Russia is a “very big power” and Ukraine is not. Putin “would like to solve the problem”, he added.

‘I seem to have an ability to end wars’

Trump said that Putin told him “your country is hot as a pistol” and that he thought America was “dead” a year ago.

Asked by the Fox News host why he was so dedicated to ending conflicts around the world even when they do not directly involve the US, Trump said: “Number one, to save lives.”

“Number two is everything else,” he said. “Wars are very bad … and I seem to have an ability to end them.”

Trump touts record on ending conflict

Trump said that the US and Russia were the most powerful nations in terms of nuclear weapons but it was dangerous to rattle sabres.

“It could be the end of the world,” he said.

Trump again touted his record on ending wars since he returned to office and said he was particularly proud of his strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities.

Zelensky-Putin meeting ‘will be set up’

SPUTNIK/GAVRIIL GRIGOROV

Trump said “they’re going to set up a meeting” between Zelensky and Putin. He gave his meeting with Putin a “ten” on a scale of one to ten “in the sense that we got along great”.

Trump: Putin wants war ‘done’

Trump said he spoke “very sincerely” one-on-one with Putin following the press conference.

“I think he wants to see it done,” Trump said, referring to the war.

The US president declined to give specifics over what was and was not agreed upon between the two sides.

Trump said that Zelensky has to agree to any deal.

Trump tells Hannity of ‘great things’ done

Speaking to Sean Hannity on Fox News in his first interview after the summit, Trump said he and Putin would have done “great things together” as he praised Russia’s natural resources.

He blamed the “Russia hoax” for poor relations between Washington and Moscow.

“We’ll see,” Trump said of the outcome of the summit, adding that “we had a very good meeting today”.

Trump said he was happy that Putin announced the war would not have happened had he been in office in 2022 and not Joe Biden.

Alaska senator ‘cautiously optimistic’

Lisa Murkowski, a Republican senator from Alaska who has previously clashed with Trump, said she is “cautiously optimistic” following the summit.

She said that it seemed “some level of progress was made”.

Murkowski added: “It was also encouraging to hear both presidents reference future meetings, which I hope will include Ukraine. Ukraine must be part of any negotiated settlement and must freely agree to its terms as we seek an end to the violent, unlawful war being waged against it.”

Watch: leaders chat after conference

Putin ‘humiliated’ Trump

From Marc Bennetts

Putin lays flowers to the graves of Soviet soldiers who died during the Second World War at Fort Richardson National Cemetery, Alaska after the summit SERGEI BOBYLEV, SPUTNIK, KREMLIN POOL PHOTO VIA AP

Russian opposition figures were dismayed by the outcome of the briefer-than-expected summit in Alaska.

“Putin has achieved his primary goal: he is no longer an outcast,” wrote Yevgenia Albats, an exiled Russian journalist. “Putin will return to Moscow a victor, having made a fool of the president of the most powerful country in the world.”

Alexander Nevzorov, another well-known Kremlin critic, was equally as downbeat, saying that Putin has managed to “buy time” for his war in Ukraine and evade the fresh sanctions that Trump had threatened unless he agreed to a ceasefire by August 8. The Russian leader, he said, would be “happy” as he returned to Moscow.

Trump rates meeting ‘a ten’

While many pundits have determined that the summit was inconclusive, Trump is attempting to put a positive spin on the meeting.

He has conducted an interview with the Fox News host Sean Hannity scheduled to be broadcast in primetime. Trump sat for the interview before departing Anchorage.

Aishah Hasnie, a Fox reporter, said Trump told Hannity he would rate the meeting with Putin a “ten” on a scale of one to ten.

Watch: Putin invites Trump to Moscow

Trump heads home after six hours

Trump boards Air Force One AP/JULIA DEMAREE NIKHINSON

President Trump boarded Air Force One at 4.10pm local time without stopping to talk to reporters, according to the White House pool.

He waved at the top of the steps. Trump was in Alaska for about six hours.

Putin’s plane was taxiing a short way away from Air Force One on the tarmac at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson.

Putin returns to plane

President Putin waved after climbing the stairs back on to his official plane as the Russian delegation prepared to leave Alaska.

Trump should be getting back on to Air Force One soon. CNN reported that he would phone Zelensky on his way back to Washington DC.

Putin ‘aims to exclude Zelensky’

From George Grylls

GETTY IMAGES

By inviting Trump to Moscow, Putin has established how negotiations will proceed. He wants to exclude President Zelensky.

The Ukrainian president cannot go to Moscow. He would risk humiliation and — potentially given the way Putin tends to deal with his enemies — assassination.

By deftly switching to English with his final words, Putin has gained the upper hand in ceasefire talks, leaving Trump unsure what to say and the US president’s plans for a second summit in doubt.

“Thank you very much, Vladimir,” he eventually concluded.

Analysis: Putin canny as ever

From George Grylls

Putin rarely speaks English in public. But at the end of the press conference with Trump, he suddenly switched.

As Trump addressed the crucial question of whether or not there would be another summit — one where a ceasefire might actually be agreed — Putin interjected. “Next time in Moscow?” he said, adopting the expression of someone making a good-natured joke.

Trump appeared caught off guard: “Oh, that’s an interesting one. I don’t know. I’d get a little heat on that one. I could see it possibly happening.”

Nothing Putin said was unscripted and his remarks, however offhand he made them appear, were clearly calculated.

A fluent German speaker, he is a proficient linguist and has a good level of English comprehension. His avoidance of English is generally seen as a negotiating tactic. His decision to embarrass Trump with a final request was a way of setting the terms for what comes next.

Obama-era official: Ramp up pressure on Putin

A former Obama administration official called on President Trump to ratchet up the economic and military pressure on Putin after failing to agree a ceasefire in the summit.

Evelyn Farkas, deputy assistant secretary of defence covering Russia, Ukraine and Eurasia under Obama, said: “Putin was always just stalling. Looks like cold water tossed on the US ideas. Putin doesn’t want peace, won’t compromise.

“Time to arm up Ukraine fast, slap on some more sanctions. Russia must be defeated militarily for Kremlin to negotiate.”

Watch: Trump heralds ‘great progress’ in talks

Talks were a ‘nothing burger’

Philip Breedlove, Nato’s former supreme allied commander in Europe, told Times Radio that the talks between Trump and Putin were a “nothing burger” and a “swing and a miss”.

He said that the two leaders did not take questions from reporters “tells me nothing good happened in that meeting”.

Breedlove added: “Trump went into that meeting saying, ‘no ceasefire, no second meeting’. He came out and said ‘no ceasefire and maybe a second meeting’.”

‘No major breakthroughs’

The Russian ambassador to Washington said there were “no major breakthroughs” from the meeting between Trump and Putin, according to the Interfax news agency.

“We are trying, we are working. So far there have been no major breakthroughs and, apparently, there cannot be any,” Alexander Darchiev said, according to a translation of his comments.

Two issues remain stumbling blocks, he said — including Russian diplomatic properties that were “confiscated” by the Obama administration.

The other issue is direct air travel between the US and Russia, which was stopped after the invasion of Ukraine.

A presidential love-in — but no answers

From Katy Balls

REUTERS/KEVIN LAMARQUE

There were no questions in Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin’s joint press conference. In fact, the short joint appearance raised more questions than it answered. The one thing it was big on was praise for one another.

The Russian president complimented his US counterpart several times and spoke about co-operation. Trump spoke about their fantastic relationship and suggested progress has been made and it has been a very productive meeting. However, there was nothing in the way of detail of what had been agreed.

Trump did say a few issues remained unsolved — adding “one is probably the most significant… We didn’t get there”. The one thing that did seem to be confirmed as very likely was a second meeting.

However, even then the location remains up in the air. Putin suggested it could take place in Russia but the president was non-committal. If that meeting is meant to include Ukraine’s Zelensky, such a location could prove very problematic indeed.

‘Just a few points left’

Trump said “many points were agreed to” and “just a very few were left” following the almost three-hour sit-down.

One of the remaining points is “probably the most significant”, Trump said. He thanked Putin who replied, “Next time in Moscow?”

Trump joked he would receive “heat” for travelling to Russia before the men shook hands and left the stage.

Trump: We’ve made headway

Trump described the meeting as “very productive” and said “we’ve made some headway”.

However “there’s no deal until there’s a deal,” Trump said, adding that there are “a couple of big” areas where disagreement remains.

The US president said he would call Nato leaders and President Zelensky of Ukraine. “We’ve made some great progress today,” Trump said.

War would ‘not have happened with Trump in power’

Putin said he believes there would not have been a war had Trump been in power in 2022.

Putin: I hope Kyiv will not throw a spanner in the works

Putin said relations between the US and Russia had fallen to their lowest point since the Cold War in recent years, a state of affairs he described as bad for the world.

“Sooner or later we had to mend the situation,” Putin said, adding that the meeting with Trump was “long overdue”.

Putin said the “situation in Ukraine” involved threats to Russian security and lamented that his country was at war with a “brotherly nation”.

He repeated a claim he has made before and said for a lasting peace Russia’s concerns had to be addressed. Putin said he hoped the “agreement” from today would “pave the path towards” peace.

Putin added that he hoped Kyiv and European capitals would not “throw a spanner in the works”.

Putin: Negotiations ‘constructive’

President Putin opened the press conference and described negotiations as “constructive” and held “in an atmosphere of mutual respect”.

He said that he greeted Trump after departing his plane by saying “good afternoon dear neighbour, very good to see you”.

Putin described the greeting as “kind words” and “very neighbourly”.

Press room packed

Hundreds of journalists from around the world are packed into the press room waiting for Trump and Putin to take to the stage.

The Kremlin confirmed on Telegram that Putin would speak. The wall behind the lecterns reads “Pursuing Peace”.

It will be the first time the American and Russian presidents have appeared together for a full news conference since a 2018 summit in Helsinki.

Steve Witkoff ignores reporters’ questions DREW ANGERER/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES

Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy, ignored questions from journalists as he walked into the press room and sat down.

Putin looks set to take part in press conference

Kirill Dmitriev, the Russian envoy, walks into the briefing room ahead of a press conference DREW ANGERER/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES

Reporters prepare for the leaders to appear DREW ANGERER/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES

Two lecterns with microphones have been set up on stage and a Russian translator has performed a sound check, suggesting Putin will join Trump at the press conference.

Reporters have also been given translation headsets and the Russian press corps is in the room.

Meeting ends after nearly three hours

The meeting between Trump and Putin has ended after almost three hours, Fox News said.

Reporters covering the summit have been called into the press conference room and preparations are under way for a briefing to begin.

Russian religious leaders pray for summit

From Marc Bennetts

Russia’s religious leaders have urged believers to pray for a successful summit meeting between President Putin and President Trump.

Patriarch Kirill, the head of the powerful Russian Orthodox Church, said at a service in Moscow: “Let us turn to the Lord with sincere prayer, that the Lord will show His mercy, so that He would facilitate this interaction between the leaders of the two most powerful countries on the planet.”

Kirill has been a vocal supporter of the war in Ukraine, which he has portrayed as a holy war against “dark forces”.

The Spiritual Assembly of Muslims of Russia also organised “collective prayers in support of Putin and the success of the Russia-US talks in Alaska” at mosques across the country on Friday, Russia’s RBC media outlet said.

Russian foreign ministry mocks Western media ‘frenzy’

From Marc Bennetts

The sight of Putin bring greeted by Trump on the runway in Alaska has sparked a spot of trademark trolling from Moscow.

“Western media are in a state that can be called frenzy, turning into complete madness: for three years they talked about Russia’s isolation, and today they saw a red carpet that greeted the Russian president in the United States,” said Maria Zakharova, the Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman.

Ukraine sources: US ‘rolling out red carpet for war criminal’

Ukrainian sources have been critical of the red-carpet welcome that greeted Putin when he exited his plane at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage.

Olga Rudenko, editor of the Kyiv Independent, posted an image to X showing soldiers, apparently American, preparing the carpet at the bottom of steps leading to the Russian plane, which had the country’s name painted on the side.

“This is Putin’s new phone wallpaper,” Rudenko said. “American soldiers kneeling under the big letters reading RUSSIA. To fix the red carpet. For a war criminal.”

The make-or-break summit between Presidents Trump and Putin has been under way for two hours, with little indication of how the talks are going.

Before sitting down with the Russian leader Trump said he would know within minutes if it was going to be a “good meeting or a bad meeting”.

“If it’s a bad meeting, it’ll end very quickly, and if it’s a good meeting, we’re going to end up getting peace in the pretty near future,” Trump said in the Oval Office on Thursday.

Optimists may view the fact that the meeting did not end immediately as a good sign.

Putin ‘nods’ at prospect of Zelensky meeting

Putin appeared to nod in the affirmative when asked by a Russian-speaking journalist if he was ready for a three-way meeting with Zelensky and Trump before the bilateral talks began.

Putin said last week that “certain conditions” would have to be met before he would be ready to sit down for talks with the Ukrainian leader. “Unfortunately, we are still far from creating such conditions,” he said.

Military flyover includes bombers used on Iran

A B-2 bomber and four F-35 fighter jets fly overhead ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES

The Russian president was treated to a red-carpet welcome, a ride in the presidential limousine and military flyover by a B-2 bomber and four F-35 fighter jets as he arrived at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson a few hours ago.

In June, seven B-2 Spirit stealth bombers conducted a bombing raid on nuclear facilities in Iran.

The bombers flew in a co-ordinated 18-hour mission from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, refuelling in mid-air, before dropping 14 massive ordnance penetrator (MOP) bombs on Fordow and Natanz which were designed for deep penetration of fortified underground structures.

At the time, Putin said the US strikes on Russia’s close military ally were unjustified, and pushed the world towards great danger.

Putin envoy’s prophetic meeting with Alaskan bear

Kirill Dmitriev, Putin’s special economic envoy, posted a video to X of an encounter with a black bear hours before the summit began.

“Hopefully a good sign,” Dmitriev wrote.

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The bear is widely recognised as a symbol of Russia, and has been depicted in cartoons, articles and dramatic plays since the 16th century.

A moose and a black bear were also spotted roaming the grounds outside Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson on Friday. It’s far from an uncommon site in Anchorage; the city is home to about 1,500 moose and as many as 350 black bears.

Trump ‘could target Russian oil if no ceasefire’

Putin and Trump in Alaska on Friday X

The Trump administration is considering sanctions against the Russian energy giants Lukoil and Rosneft if Putin does not agree to a ceasefire, according to Bloomberg.

The report, which cites unnamed sources, noted that measures aimed at squeezing the Russian energy sector may be implemented gradually. US officials have largely avoided targeting Russia’s oil sector over fears that doing so could raise domestic energy prices.

Hillary Clinton and a Nobel peace prize

Fox News has released a brief clip of an interview with Trump conducted by its chief political anchor Bret Baier on board Air Force One. “Hillary Clinton said that if you got this deal done and not capitulate to Putin, she would nominate you for the Nobel peace prize,” Baier said.

Trump responded: “Well that was very nice. I may have to start liking her again.”

• How Trump hopes to win the Nobel peace prize

Can Putin speak English?

Trump and Putin appeared to engage in a friendly discussion on their way to the summit without the presence of interpreters, leading many to wonder about the Russian leader’s proficiency in the English language.

Putin rarely speaks English in public, but world leaders including George W Bush and Tony Blair have remarked that he is capable of holding informal conversations. There are clips online of the Russian leader greeting people, making jokes and giving brief remarks in English.

During a series of interviews in 2017 with the American film-maker Oliver Stone, Putin used English and Russian interchangeably. In 2021 his spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, claimed he was so proficient that he often corrected his own interpreters.

Putin is fluent in German, having been stationed in Dresden, East Germany, from 1985 to 1990 while serving as a KGB officer.

Who is in the room?

1: Yury Ushakov, a top foreign policy aide in the Kremlin

2: Sergey Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister

3: An unidentified translator

4: President Putin

5: President Trump

6: A second unidentified translator

7: Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state

8: Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy

Analysis: What’s on the agenda?

The two sides are in a room and talking about the war in Ukraine. Here are five things they are likely to be discussing — and one they almost certainly won’t be.

A moment of confusion

The two leaders have arrived at a building on the military base where they will hold a three-on-three meeting.

As they took their seats in front of a blue backdrop with the words “Pursuing Peace”, US reporters shouted questions at Putin, asking: “Mr Putin, will you commit to not killing any more civilians?” and “President Putin, why should President Trump trust your word now?”

Putin made an inaudible comment, and put his hands round his mouth in a gesture that appeared to indicate he could not hear what was being said.

“Thank you very much,” Trump said, before the press was ushered out of the room.

A car ride for two

ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP/GETTY IMAGES

UNPIXS

Despite assurances from the White House that the two leaders would not hold one-on-one talks, the two men drove off accompanied only by Secret Service agents. Putin could be seen smiling in the backseat of the US president’s armoured limousine, known as the Beast.

Trump said earlier today that he would know within a few minutes of meeting Putin if the meeting would be a success.

Applause, handshakes and questions ignored

KEVIN LAMARQUE/REUTERS

KEVIN LAMARQUE/REUTERS

KEVIN LAMAQUE/REUTERS

The two leaders disembarked from their respective planes and walked down a red carpet on the tarmac at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson.

Trump applauded his Russian counterpart before shaking hands and exchanging pleasantries. The two leaders stood on a stage marked “Alaska 2025”, as Putin ignored reporters’ questions whether he would agree to a ceasefire. The two leaders then entered a US presidential limousine.

What does Putin want?

Putin leaving Magadan and his plane on the tarmac, below ALEXEI NIKOLSKY/EPA

ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP/GETTY IMAGES

Putin’s plane has just landed at Elmendorf-Richardson base in Anchorage, a few minutes ahead of schedule.

Trump is yet to emerge from Air Force One, and has apparently been waiting for Putin’s arrival. The US president has been meeting on board the aircraft with Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, Alaska’s Republican senators, as well as Mike Dunleavy, the state governor, according to Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary.

What does the Russian leader want from these talks? Marc Bennetts analyses his motivations, from land deals to history lessons — and why he is already at an advantage.

Zelensky: Russia is still bombing us

Shortly before Trump arrived in Alaska to meet his Russian counterpart, President Zelensky released a videotaped statement in which he reiterated that Russian military strikes were continuing across Ukraine.

“On the day of negotiations, the Russians are killing as well. And that speaks volumes,” he said. “Ukraine is ready to work as productively as possible to bring the war to an end, and we count on a strong position from America. Everything will depend on this.”

No longer a one-on-one meeting

F-22 fighter jets on the tarmac with Air Force One ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP/GETTY IMAGES

Trump will no longer have a one-on-one meeting with President Putin, the White House has said. Instead, the US president will be accompanied by Steve Witkoff and Marco Rubio for a three-on-three meeting. The two Russians joining Putin will be Sergey Lavrov, his foreign minister, and Yury Ushakov, his top foreign policy aide.

This meeting will be followed by a working lunch at which Trump, Witkoff and Rubio will be joined by Scott Bessent, the Treasury secretary, Howard Lutnick, the commerce secretary, Pete Hegseth, the defence secretary and Susie Wiles, Trump’s chief of staff.

Susie Wiles appeared in high spirits ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP/GETTY IMAGES

Pete Hegseth and Marco Rubio KEVIN LAMARQUE/REUTERS

Trump lands

KEVIN LAMARQUE/REUTERS

Trump has landed in Anchorage for his summit with Putin. Air Force One touched down at 10.25am local time (7.25pm BST).

The view from Anchorage

DREW ANGERER/AFP/GETTY IMAGES

Two podiums are set up in a ballroom on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, in front of the words “Pursuing Peace” (David Charter writes in Anchorage).

The arrangement suggests a joint press conference will take place later with both Trump and Putin. About 300 journalists, photographers and TV camera crews crammed into a media tent next door awaiting the arrival of Air Force One. One half of the room is for “US Press”, including international media based in the United States, and one half for “RU Press”.

The day began for media members covering the summit with a 5am local time meet up in a shopping centre car park on the edge of Anchorage to load into buses for the short drive into the base. After a few hours of delays and a thorough screening with security wands, bag searches and sniffer dogs, we arrived in the media tent at 9.45am local time (6.45pm BST).

What Trump has said today

President Trump leaving for Alaska on Air Force One

Trump made a series of comments about the summit earlier today as he took questions from reporters on Air Force One. Here is a summary:

On a ceasefire: “I want to see a ceasefire. This has nothing to do with Europe, Europe’s not telling me what to do. But they’re going to be involved in the process obviously, as well as Zelensky. I want to see a ceasefire rapidly. I don’t know if it’s going to be today, but I’m not going to be happy if it’s not today. Everyone said it can’t be today, but I’m just saying I want the killing to stop.

On territorial concessions: The president said these would be discussed at the meeting but would have to be approved by Ukraine. “I have to let Ukraine make that decision,” Trump said. “I think they’ll make a proper decision, but I’m not here to negotiate for Ukraine. I’m here to get them at a table.”

On security guarantees for Ukraine: “Along with Europe and other countries, not in the form of Nato. Because that’s not going to, you know, there are certain things that aren’t going to happen. But yeah, along with Europe, there’s possibility [of security guarantees].”

On continuing Russian drone strikes: “[Putin] is trying to set a stage. In his mind, it helps him make a better deal. It actually hurts him,” Trump said. “But in his mind that helps him make a better deal if they can continue the killing. Maybe it’s a part of the world, maybe it’s just his fabric, his genes, his genetics. I’ll be talking to him about it.”

On “economic incentives”: “I notice he’s bringing a lot of business people from Russia, and that’s good. I like that because they want to do business, but we’re not doing business until we get the war settled. We have the hottest country on Earth. We have the hottest economy on Earth.

“He wants a piece of that, because his country is not hot economically. In fact its the opposite. I want everybody to do well. But the war’s got to stop and the killing’s got to stop.”

The two entourages compared

Putin and Trump arrived in Alaska with several key members of their administrations in tow. The US contingent is full of familiar faces.

The delegation from the Kremlin, however, may surprise — it includes a poet, Harvard student and sanctions-buster, as Marc Bennetts explains.

12 August 2025 20:50 (UTC+04:00)

Nazrin Abdul Read more

European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas said Tuesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin is not genuinely seeking peace in Ukraine, but is merely “pretending” to pursue negotiations for strategic gain, Azernews reports, citing the CNBC.

In an interview with CNBC, Kallas claimed that Putin is attempting to sideline Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky from upcoming talks with U.S. President Donald Trump—an omission she says would expose Putin’s true motives: delaying Western sanctions and securing a photo-op with the American leader.

“Putin doesn’t want Zelensky at the table because it would reveal that he’s not serious about peace—just about buying time and playing games,” Kallas said, adding that Ukraine had already agreed to a ceasefire months ago, only for Moscow to continue hostilities.

Earlier in the day, nearly all EU member states issued a joint statement supporting Trump’s diplomatic efforts, but emphasized that Kyiv must be included in any credible negotiations. The statement stressed that “meaningful negotiations can only take place in the context of a ceasefire or reduction of hostilities.”

US ready to be part of security guarantees for Ukraine, Merz says

The US is ready to be part of security guarantees for Ukraine, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has said.

Speaking to the German broadcaster ZDF, Merz said: “And the good news is that America is ready to participate in such security guarantees and is not leaving it to the Europeans alone.”

Looking at Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s upcoming trip to the White House, Merz said after this a three-way meeting between Zelenskyy, Putin and Trump and should be held as soon as possible with the aim of reaching a peace agreement.

“If that works out, it’s worth more than a ceasefire,” he said.

Merz said Trump had indicated that Russia seemed ready to negotiate based on the frontlines of the conflict, rather than the borders of Ukrainian regions it claims.

“This is a huge difference because Russia is claiming territories that it hasn’t occupied yet,” he said.

Merz also said Zelenskyy would tomorrow talk to European leaders who would help him prepare for the meeting.

“We’ll give a few good pieces of advice,” he said.