What Did Putin and Trump Agree On?
On Friday in Alaska, U.S. President Trump and Russian President Putin held talks aimed at addressing the ongoing conflict, exploring areas of cooperation, and reaching preliminary agreements on key issues.
The Gaze reports on it, referring to various media outlets.
Before the meeting, Trump highlighted the mutual respect and rapport between him and Putin, praising their ability to work together while stressing that economic consequences for Russia would follow if progress on resolving the conflict is not achieved.
"He is a smart guy, been doing it for a long time, but so have I ... We get along," Trump said of Putin.
As a reminder, Putin praised Trump in the lead-up to the summit, calling his efforts to end the war “sincere” and hinting that nuclear arms control could be discussed. However, Trump downplayed expectations, noting a 25% chance the meeting might not succeed, and it seems unlikely that Putin will agree to a ceasefire tomorrow.
During the press conference, the leaders reflected on the talks and shared their perspectives, setting the stage for what was discussed without revealing specific outcomes.
In an unusual move for a U.S.-hosted summit, Russian President Vladimir Putin opened the joint news conference in Anchorage, with President Donald Trump looking on.
Speaking at the press conference, Putin described the talks as held in a “respectful, constructive and mutually respectful atmosphere,” calling the negotiations “very thorough and useful.”
He also addressed Kyiv and European leaders, urging them not to interfere with the talks. Russian President noted he expects they “will perceive all this in a constructive manner and will not create any obstacles” or attempt to disrupt what he called “the emerging progress.”
In turn, Trump said he and Putin made some headway and saw great progress in their bilateral meeting, but emphasized, “there’s no deal until there’s a deal.”
He added, “We had an extremely productive meeting, and many points were agreed to. We didn’t get there, but we have a very good chance of getting there.” Trump also said he would brief NATO, other relevant leaders, and President Zelenskyy on the outcomes of the summit.
At the end of the press conference, Putin suggested that the next meeting with Trump could take place in Moscow, prompting an ambivalent reaction from the U.S. president. Trump acknowledged the proposal would be controversial but left the possibility open, saying, “That’s an interesting one, I’ll get a little heat on that one. But I could see it possibly happening.”
Read more on The Gaze: Trump-Putin Gambit: Scenarios and Stakes for Ukraine