No Alaska Deal! Yet Putin Scores Symbolic and Strategic Wins

Alaska Summit Ends Without Deal, Putin Projects Strength as Trump Appears Weary

The high-profile meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska concluded without any formal agreement, leaving both sides to frame the outcome in contrasting ways.

Trump, looking visibly fatigued, offered no significant updates on Ukraine or NATO during the discussions. In contrast, Putin spoke with confidence, once again underscoring Moscow’s narrative about the “root causes” of the war in Ukraine.

Although the talks yielded no breakthrough, Kyiv and its allies welcomed the fact that no separate arrangement was made without Ukraine’s involvement. Political observers note that Putin effectively reinforced Russia’s hardline stance, while Trump drew criticism for lacking a forceful response.

Putin Claims Ukraine War Wouldn’t Have Happened If Trump Were President in 2022

Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested during a press conference in Alaska that the ongoing war in Ukraine could have been avoided had Donald Trump been in office instead of Joe Biden when Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022.

Putin Backs Trump’s Longstanding Claim

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly insisted that the Ukraine conflict would never have escalated under his leadership. On Friday, Putin openly agreed with Trump’s assessment, saying that the Republican leader’s claim was “correct.”

Putin’s Criticism of Biden

Putin alleged that in early 2022, before launching the invasion, he had attempted to convince President Biden to prevent the crisis from spiraling into war. According to him, Washington’s refusal to heed Moscow’s warnings led to the outbreak of large-scale hostilities.

Praise for Trump’s Relationship With Moscow

Highlighting his past ties with Trump, Putin said the two shared a constructive working relationship.

“President Trump and I established a very good, businesslike, and trusting contact,” he told reporters. “I believe that by moving along this path, we can achieve the end of the conflict in Ukraine — and the sooner, the better.”

"Trump Didn’t Lose, But Putin Clearly Won," Says John Bolton After Alaska Meeting

Former U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton has weighed in on the high-profile Alaska summit between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, declaring that while Trump avoided a direct loss, Putin emerged as the clear winner.

Bolton: Trump Left Empty-Handed

Speaking after the meeting, Bolton remarked that Trump had little to show for his talks with Putin.

“Trump did not lose, but Putin clearly won,” Bolton said. “Trump didn’t walk away with anything concrete, except the prospect of more meetings.”

His statement highlighted the lack of tangible progress for Washington, despite the summit’s significance.

Putin’s Strategic Gains

Bolton argued that Putin succeeded in advancing his broader objectives.

“Putin has gone a long way to reestablishing the relationship, which I always believed was his key goal,” he noted.

According to Bolton, Putin managed to avoid new sanctions, secured freedom from any immediate ceasefire obligations, and left the door open for future talks — all without making meaningful concessions.

Ukraine Left in the Dark

Bolton also pointed out the glaring omission: Ukraine’s leadership was excluded from the loop.

“President Zelensky wasn’t informed of any of this before the press conference,” Bolton said. “It’s far from over, but I’d say Putin achieved most of what he wanted. Trump achieved very little.”

Trump-Putin Meet in Alaska: Trump's Unexpected Call with Putin Ally Ahead of Alaska Summit

Ahead of his anticipated meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, President Donald Trump revealed on Truth Social that he had a phone call with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, a close ally of Putin.

Trump stated that the purpose of the call was to thank Lukashenko for a prisoner release. "I had a wonderful talk with the highly respected President of Belarus, Aleksandr Lukashenko," Trump wrote. He added that they "discussed many topics, including President Putin’s visit to Alaska," and concluded by saying, "I look forward to meeting President Lukashenko in the future."

Lukashenko has been a key supporter of Putin, especially throughout the war in Ukraine. The full-scale invasion of Ukraine was partially launched from Belarusian territory in 2022, and Putin has since stationed tactical nuclear weapons in the country.

US and Europe Continue Trade with Russia Despite Years of War

While trade between the US and Russia has plummeted by roughly 90% since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, both the United States and the European Union continue to conduct billions of dollars in business with Russia. According to the latest data, the US imported $3 billion worth of goods from Russia last year, and the EU, a partner in sanctions against Russia, imported $41.9 billion (36 billion euros) in 2024.

Several key commodities continue to be imported into the US from Russia:

Fertilizer: The US imported over $1 billion in Russian fertilizers last year, relying particularly on imports of urea, urea ammonium nitrate, and potassium chloride. According to Allan Pickett, head of fertilizer analysis at S&P Global Commodity Insights, this level of trade is likely to continue unless sanctions are placed on these imports.

Palladium: Despite a significant decrease since 2021, the US still imported $878 million worth of palladium from Russia in 2024. This metal is an essential component in various electronic and industrial products, including catalytic converters for cars.

Uranium and Plutonium: The US has imported $755 million worth of uranium and plutonium from Russia this year, according to Census data.

Trump-Putin Meet in Alaska: Indian Time of Meeting

The White House has announced the schedule for the high-stakes meeting between President Trump and President Putin in Anchorage, Alaska.

The two leaders are set to begin their talks at 3:00 p.m. ET (12:30 a.m. IST). Following the conclusion of the meeting, President Trump is expected to depart Anchorage at 9:45 p.m. ET.

Trump-Putin Meet in Alaska: Russia's Delegation Arrives in Alaska with a Statement

Several members of the Russian delegation, including Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, have already arrived in Anchorage for the summit. Lavrov, along with Russian Direct Investment Fund head Kirill Dmitriev and Finance Minister Anton Siluanov, landed last night.

Lavrov immediately drew attention with his clothing choice: a long-sleeved shirt with the Cyrillic letters CCCP, which stands for the USSR. Given Alaska's history and the summit's focus on sensitive topics like Ukrainian territory, the shirt could be interpreted as a provocative symbol.

When a Russian reporter asked Lavrov if he was nervous about the meeting, he calmly replied, "What's that?" as if the idea of pre-summit jitters was foreign to him. The foreign minister added that Russia has a "clear position" and "arguments" that President Putin plans to present to President Trump.

Zelensky: We Are Counting on America

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky took to X, formerly Twitter, to share his thoughts on the upcoming Alaska summit. Echoing President Trump's earlier comments, Zelensky described the meeting as "high stakes." He stated that the summit "should open up a real path toward a just peace" and proposed a trilateral meeting between Ukraine, the US, and Russia.

Zelensky also mentioned that Ukraine is sending reinforcements to counter Russian advances in eastern Ukraine, specifically in the Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions. These territories are expected to be a major focus of today's discussions. He concluded his statement by calling for an end to the war and for Russia to take the "necessary steps" toward peace.