Trump and Putin summit ends without breakthrough on Ukraine

Both leaders speak of progress but leave details unclear.
Text: Óscar Ontañón Docal
Published 2025-08-16

The latest news on Russia and Ukraine. We can now say that the long-anticipated meeting between United States President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska has concluded without a concrete deal on Ukraine.

The United States president emphasised that Kyiv "must make a deal," while Putin repeated Russia's insistence on addressing what he called the root causes of the conflict. "We've made some headway," Trump said. "There's no deal until there's a deal," he added.

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that "we are ready to work on this. I would like to hope that the understanding we have reached will allow us to get closer to that goal and open the way to peace in Ukraine."

"We expect that Kyiv and the European capitals will perceive all of this in a constructive manner and will not create any obstacles. That they will not attempt to disrupt the emerging progress through provocation or behind-the-scenes intrigue."

Despite talk of progress, neither side presented specific steps toward a ceasefire, leaving doubts about the impact of the summit. For Putin, sharing a stage with Trump marked a symbolic win, while Trump signalled that further talks involving Zelensky might follow.

A conceptual photo showing U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin on screen. Putin and Trump are set to discuss the Ukraine issue in Alaska. New York U.S 11.08.2025

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