In a rare face-to-face meeting in Alaska, Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin highlighted progress on key issues but stopped short of announcing a formal agreement, keeping NATO and Ukraine closely watching developments.
Alaska, US – August 16: In a dramatic display of high-stakes diplomacy, former US President Donald Trump met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday, calling their discussions “very productive” despite lingering disagreements and the absence of a formal deal.
Speaking at a joint press conference, Trump struck a cautiously optimistic tone. “We had a very productive meeting, and there were many points that we agreed on. A couple of big ones that we haven’t quite gotten there, but we made some headway,” he said.
The former president emphasized that progress had been made but insisted, “There’s no deal until there’s a deal.” He revealed his plans to reach out to NATO allies and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to brief them about the discussions.
“I’ll call NATO in a little while, and I’ll also call President Zelenskyy. It’s ultimately up to them. We made some great progress today, and we’ll probably speak to you again very soon,” Trump added.
While both leaders appeared united at the podium, they avoided answering questions from reporters, leaving much of the substance behind closed doors.
Russia’s top economic envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, echoed Trump’s optimism. He noted that the US had received Russia “very well” in Alaska, underscoring the summit’s role in thawing tensions. “There were lots of issues that we discussed and many we agreed on,” he told CNN, highlighting the “significant economic potential” of cooperation between Washington and Moscow.
Despite ongoing resistance from political circles in both nations, Dmitriev stressed determination to strengthen bilateral ties: “We will continue building US-Russia relations going forward, despite resistance.”
The Alaska meeting, though inconclusive, has already set the stage for what could be a turning point in US-Russia relations, with global stakeholders—particularly NATO and Kyiv—watching the developments with keen interest.