'No deal until there's deal': Trump on talks with Putin
What's the story
United States President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a three-hour closed-door meeting in Alaska. The two leaders addressed the media after their meeting; however, no major announcement was made. The joint press conference was brief, and neither leader took questions from reporters. The meeting focused on improving US-Russia relations and addressing the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Diplomatic discourse
Time to move from confrontation to dialogue: Putin
President Putin opened the press conference by highlighting how US-Russia relations have deteriorated since the Cold War. He stressed that it was time to move from confrontation to dialogue. "Sooner or later, we have to amend the situation," he said. He also thanked Trump for his "well-wishing tone" and acknowledged both countries' interests in tangible results.
Negotiation stance
Trump's take on meeting
President Trump was also optimistic about the meeting, calling it "very productive." He said several agreements were reached, but acknowledged some major issues remain unresolved. Reiterating his negotiation mantra, he said, "There's no deal until there's a deal." He also said he would update NATO leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the meeting's progress.
Ongoing discussions
Need for continued dialogue emphasized
The Alaska summit did not produce a concrete agreement but emphasized the need for continued dialogue. Trump's decision to consult NATO and Ukrainian leadership shows that resolving issues, especially in Ukraine, will require multilateral cooperation. Both leaders stressed the importance of further negotiations to reach a consensus on key issues.
Future engagement
Putin invites Trump for next meeting in Moscow
At the end of their meeting, Putin invited Trump to Moscow for their next meeting. The Alaska talks were seen by Putin as a diplomatic victory amid Western isolation efforts after the Ukraine conflict. For Trump, this summit was an opportunity to make progress toward ending the war in Ukraine, with hopes of arranging further negotiations that might include Zelenskyy.