By Steve Holland, Andrew Osborn and Darya Korsunskaya, for Reuters
US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin speak at a joint media conference after meeting at a US-Russia summit on Ukraine at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska, on 15 August. Photo: AFP
- Putin in talks after launching full-scale invasion into Ukraine in 2022
- Trump greets Putin on red carpet at US air base in Alaska
- Zelensky, not invited, says Ukraine is 'counting on America'
- Trump says the killing must stop
US President Donald Trump says he and Russian President Vladimir Putin did not reach an agreement to resolve Moscow's war in Ukraine after a nearly three-hour summit in Alaska, though he characterised the meeting as "very productive."
Trump said at a joint press conference with Putin that they did not reach an agreement on "probably the most significant" aspect of their meeting, but there was a very good chance of getting there.
"Many points were agreed to. There are just a very few that are left. Some are not that significant. One is probably the most significant, but we have a very good chance of getting there. We didn't get there, but we have a very good chance of getting there," Trump told reporters.
"There were many, many points that we agreed on ... we've made some headway. So there's no deal until there's a deal."
Trump and Putin each spoke for a few minutes to reporters on Friday (local time) and took no questions.
It was not clear whether the talks had produced meaningful steps toward a ceasefire in the deadliest conflict in Europe in 80 years, a goal that Trump had set at the outset.
Putin: talks can be starting point to settle Ukraine conflict and restore Russia-US ties
In brief remarks, Putin said he expected Ukraine and its European allies to accept the results of the US-Russia negotiation, warning them not to "torpedo" the progress toward a resolution.
He said he hoped that agreements reached at the summit could be a launchpad for settling the Ukraine conflict and restoring ties between Russia and the US.
"I expect that today's agreements will become a reference point, not only for solving the Ukrainian problem, but will also will launch the restoration of business-like, pragmatic relations between Russia and the United States," the Russian president said.
He said there was enormous potential for the two countries to build a business and investment partnership in areas such as energy, technology and space exploration, and in the Arctic.
"I have every reason to believe that by moving along this path, we can reach an end to the conflict in Ukraine as soon as possible," he told the joint news conference.
Putin, however, did not specify what the two sides had agreed on.
Zelensky not invited to Alaska talks
Trump and Putin, along with top foreign-policy aides, conferred in a room at an Air Force base in Anchorage, Alaska, in their first meeting since 2019. A blue backdrop behind them had the words "Pursuing Peace" printed on it.
Trump's publicly stated aim for the talks was to secure a halt to the fighting and a commitment by Putin to meet swiftly with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to negotiate an end to the war, which began when Russia invaded its neighbour in February 2022.
Zelensky, who was not invited to the summit, and his European allies had feared Trump might sell out Ukraine by essentially freezing the conflict and recognising - if only informally - Russian control over one-fifth of Ukraine.
Trump sought to assuage such concerns as he boarded Air Force One, saying he would let Ukraine decide on any possible territorial concessions.
"I'm not here to negotiate for Ukraine, I'm here to get them at a table," he said.
Asked what would make the meeting a success, he told reporters: "I want to see a ceasefire rapidly ... I'm not going to be happy if it's not today ... I want the killing to stop."
Zelensky has ruled out formally handing Moscow any territory and is also seeking a security guarantee backed by the United States.
Trump said he would call Zelensky and NATO leaders to update them on the talks with Putin.
Putin lays flowers at graves in Alaska
After the summit concluded, the Russian president laid flowers at the graves of Soviet pilots who died in Alaska during World War II.
The pilots died in Alaska in accidents or harsh weather conditions while training or ferrying US-built aircraft to the Soviet Union under a lend-lease programme.
- Reuters
