MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

No peace deal, but progress made during Trump-Putin meeting

Putin and Trump warned Europe not to “torpedo the nascent progress” (Pic REUTERS)

Presidents Vladimir Putin of Russia and Donald Trump of the United States failed to reach a conclusive understanding on peace in Ukraine, although some progress was achieved vis-à-vis a next face-to-face meeting, most likely to be held in Moscow after Putin switched to English in a rare move to invite Trump over the Russian capital for the next round of talks.

In Alaska on Friday, both leaders admitted that there was no agreement to end or pause the conflict. “There's no deal until there's a deal,” Trump stressed. He also mentioned he planned to speak with Ukrainian and European leaders soon. Putin said the two leaders had an “understanding” on Ukraine and praised Trump's approach as “results-oriented”.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was not part of the meeting, which went against the policy of “nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine.”

At the press conference, Trump described the meeting as “extremely productive,” acknowledging that while a final agreement had not been reached, there remained a strong possibility of success. He emphasized the progress made during the discussions and reiterated what he characterized as a solid rapport with Putin. “Today’s agreements will help us restart pragmatic relations,” he stated, signaling a renewed effort toward cooperation. Regarding Putin's invitation to Moscow, Trump said he “can see it possibly happening.” In addition, Putin and Trump warned Europe not to “torpedo the nascent progress.”

According to media reports, Putin demanded Kyiv cede the regions Moscow annexed in 2022, and recognize Crimea, illegally annexed in 2014, as part of Russia. He also demanded that Ukraine drop its bid to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), limit its armed forces, and recognize Russian as an official language along with Ukrainian.

Putin expressed appreciation for Trump’s “friendly” demeanor and “results-oriented” stance, suggesting it could pave the way toward resolving the conflict in Ukraine. He characterized the dialogue as “constructive” and restated his belief that the war might have been avoided had Trump been in office at the time of its outbreak.