Islamabad – United States President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin met on Friday at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, for what was billed as a historic summit aimed at securing a ceasefire in Ukraine. But after nearly four hours of talks, no formal breakthrough was announced.

Both leaders, however, described the discussions as “extremely productive” and “constructive and based on mutual respect.”

Red Carpet Welcome, High Expectations

Trump personally greeted Putin with a red-carpet reception as the Russian leader stepped off his plane, shaking hands before escorting him in the presidential limousine “The Beast.” Despite the warm welcome, the summit ended with little substantive progress on the war.

The meeting, shorter than the seven hours initially anticipated, included US and Russian foreign ministers and senior officials. Translators were largely absent as the two presidents held parts of the talks one-on-one, with Putin relying on his English.

Neither Trump nor Putin took questions from reporters during or after the talks, limiting themselves to short prepared remarks.

Talks on Ceasefire in Ukraine

The core of the summit revolved around Ukraine. “It’s ultimately up to them,” Trump said, referring to Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, while cautioning “there’s no deal until there’s a deal.”

Trump acknowledged that “many points were agreed to” but conceded that “significant” sticking points remain. He said he would call NATO officials and President Zelenskyy in the coming days, stressing: “I’ll get a little heat on that one, but I could see it possibly happening” — referring to a possible follow-up meeting in Moscow.

Putin, for his part, called the Ukraine conflict a “tragedy,” adding that Russia views Ukrainians as “brothers.” He insisted that for peace to last, “the primary causes of the conflict must be eliminated.” He also cautioned Ukraine and the EU not to “throw a wrench in the works.”

Putin went further, saying that if Trump had been president in 2022, “the war in Ukraine would not have started.”

Moscow Invitation and Next Steps

During the joint press conference, Putin invited Trump to hold the next round of talks in Moscow. Trump responded that the idea was “interesting” and worth considering.

Trump also emphasized that he plans to involve Zelenskyy directly, saying: “Now, it’s really up to President Zelenskyy to get it done. And I would also say the European nations, they have to get involved a little bit. But it’s up to President Zelenskyy.”

Zelenskyy, however, was critical in advance of the summit, noting that Russian attacks continued unabated and calling for a trilateral meeting involving Ukraine, the US, and Russia.

Business on the Sidelines

Despite Trump’s pre-summit insistence that business would not be discussed until progress was made on Ukraine, Putin told reporters that the leaders discussed cooperation in “trade, digital, high-tech and in space exploration,” as well as Arctic projects. He argued that “US and Russian investment and business cooperation has tremendous potential.”

Russia has long sought to use its vast reserves of rare earth minerals to draw US interest and ease tensions.

Symbolism and PR Wins

For Putin, the optics of the Alaska meeting were significant. Western media had long portrayed him as isolated since the war began, but in Anchorage he was welcomed with a red carpet, a US fighter jet flypast, and a motorcade with Trump.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova gloated: “For three years they [Western media] have been talking about Russia’s isolation, and today they saw the red carpet that greeted the Russian president in the United States.”

Melania Trump’s Personal Letter

In an unexpected human-interest moment, Trump handed Putin a personal letter from First Lady Melania Trump, addressing the plight of children affected by the war in Russia and Ukraine. White House officials confirmed it was written privately by Melania.

Outlook: “No Deal Until There’s a Deal”

Ultimately, the Alaska summit yielded no agreement but set the stage for future diplomacy. Trump called the meeting a “10 out of 10” in a later Fox News interview, reiterating: “We got along great… Make a deal.”

Both leaders insisted that continued dialogue could create momentum. Putin thanked Trump for hosting the summit in Alaska, noting that the territory holds “a special place” in shared US-Russia history.

Yet, with fighting ongoing in Ukraine and Zelenskyy demanding direct involvement, the road to a ceasefire remains fraught. The world waits to see if Trump’s promised “next meeting” can achieve what Alaska could not.