Trump-Putin summit starts on red carpet, ends in confusion

Friday's summit in Alaska began as a superpower spectacle, then abruptly ended without any indication of what was achieved or where things go from here.Why it matters: President Trump didn't get the ceasefire he came for, or the public commitment he wanted from Vladimir Putin to meet next with Volodymyr Zelensky. The leaders scrapped a planned lunch and departed early — but not before both declared the meeting a success.Between the lines: It's not hard to see why Putin likely left Anchorage satisfied. Images of Trump applauding as he walked down the red carpet were beamed back to Russia, and around the world."They spent three years telling everyone Russia was isolated, and today they saw the beautiful red carpet laid out for the Russian president in the U.S.," Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova noted.For now at least, Putin seems to have reset a relationship with Trump that had been splintering. Their brief joint press conference was short on substance but long on mutual praise. And Trump told Fox News' Sean Hannity that new oil sanctions for Russia — which were imminent until Putin proposed the meeting — were now probably off the table for a few weeks.The other side: Trump insisted that progress was made on a number of issues, though not on the "biggest" one, without offering any specifics.En route to Alaska, Trump told Fox "I won't be happy" if Putin doesn't agree to a ceasefire. But afterwards, Trump said he was happy. "I think the meeting was a ten," he told Hannity.Still, Trump was somewhat downbeat during the joint appearance. While Putin claimed an unspecified "agreement" had been reached, Trump brushed that off and said "we didn't get there."Friction point: The inconclusive outcome might be most vexing to the party that was not in the room.While Trump warned of "very severe consequences" for Putin ahead of the summit if clear progress was not made, he pivoted to pressuring Ukraine once it was over.Trump told Hannity it was now "up to President Zelensky to get it done," and later said "Russia is a very big power, and they're not."The intrigue: Trump alluded to understandings reached with Putin that he'd be taking to Zelensky for approval.Putin, for his part, urged Kyiv and its European backers not to object to his "agreement" with Trump or "torpedo the nascent progress."We'll find out more in the coming hours and days about what Trump and Putin actually agreed, what it means for Ukraine, and what's coming next.Putin offered a suggestion, in English, as the summit drew to a close: "Next time, in Moscow."

Comments

World news

Palestinian woman, 20, dies in hospital after being evacuated from Gaza to Italy

Independent

The Mayor of New Orleans had a years-long romance with her bodyguard. She’s been indicted for spending city money on hotels and wine tastings with him

about 2 hours ago

Putin gave curt three-word response to reporters who tried to ask him questions about invasion of Ukraine

Independent

The Candy Man Killer murdered 28 people, mainly teens lured by candy or drugs: ‘Everybody was blaming the kids for their demise’

about 6 hours ago

Independent

‘The children in Gaza are too weak to play or sing: hunger has stolen their childhood’

about 6 hours ago

Independent

‘No Mercy’: An ultra-violent video game wound up getting more than 20,000 NSFW gamer favorites censored — but not by who you’d think

about 6 hours ago

Independent

Mark Zuckerberg’s property empire unmasked. Here’s everything we know, from where they are to how much he splurged on them

about 6 hours ago

Trump's unprecedented show of force in L.A., Washington are pushing norms, sparking fears

LA Times

Comments

Similar News

After Trump-Putin Alaska Summit, Europeans Are Relieved, for Now

Trump-Putin summit live: US president hails ‘successful’ meeting despite no deal as Zelensky heads to Washington

Hand pats, manspreading and discontent: The body language giveaways from the Trump-Putin Alaska summit

Trump-Putin talks: Odd things you may have missed - red carpets to chicken Kyiv

Hope and disappointment as world reacts to Trump-Putin summit

The three biggest unanswered questions over Trump-Putin meeting

How the Trump-Putin summit unfolded... in under 2 minutes

In pictures: Trump-Putin summit ends without a deal but with plenty of standout moments

What we expected from the Trump-Putin summit - and what actually happened

Trump-Putin peace summit leaves five unanswered questions as ceasefire in doubt

Trump-Putin summit ends with no deal on Ukraine

Saskatchewan reacts to the Trump-Putin meeting in Alaska

False Flags, Fake Flags: Propaganda Muddles the Trump-Putin Meeting

Trump-Putin quickly grab alone time in limo before start of Ukraine summit

A Ukrainian view of the Trump-Putin summit

Trump-Putin summit live updates: Trump and Putin ride alone together in Beast to high-stakes Alaska meeting over Ukraine

Russia’s Lavrov Wears USSR Sweatshirt to Trump-Putin Summit

Trump-Putin summit begins, with last minute format change

Who’s Attending the Trump-Putin Meeting in Alaska

How Trump-Putin Summit Signals Return to Imperial Thinking

World news

Palestinian woman, 20, dies in hospital after being evacuated from Gaza to Italy

Chili’s is back, thanks to its viral mozzarella sticks: Once-flailing chain is building new restaurants again

Wildfires rage Europe: Where is it safe to travel and how to stay safe

The Tottenham bromance inspiring a new era

Trump greets Putin with a red carpet, Ukrainians feel betrayed

Hurricane Erin explodes in strength to a Category 5 storm in Caribbean

Two-month-old baby girl and parents killed by Israel airstrike in Gaza while living in tent

Putin's dark childhood from mother's eye gouged out to being chased by rats

With Putin by his side, Trump repeats his claims of a ‘Russia Hoax.’

Government Shuts Down Air Canada Strike That Grounded Hundreds of Flights

The Power of the Trump-Putin Presidential Photo Op

The Mayor of New Orleans had a years-long romance with her bodyguard. She’s been indicted for spending city money on hotels and wine tastings with him

Putin gave curt three-word response to reporters who tried to ask him questions about invasion of Ukraine

Man arrested after Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo alleges racial abuse during game

The Alaska summit is over: The next steps and what happens now to Ukraine

Redistricting wars spark mad dash of unlikely 2026 congressional candidates

Hurricane Erin strengthens to Category 5

'Doomsday' floods and landslides kill more than 300 in Pakistan and Indian Kashmir with mass funerals held

Woman dead and dozens injured after train carrying 100 passengers collides with slurry tanker in Denmark

British mum steals towels from sunbed hoggers in dead of night saying ‘they deserved it’

The nine days that will decide Newcastle’s season

Every hospital in Gaza overwhelmed with malnutrition cases

New York explosion horror as black smoke surrounds Manhattan after 'blast'

MIKEY SMITH: 11 unhinged Donald Trump moments as he gets absolutely played by Putin at Ukraine summit

Seven-month-old boy 'kidnapped' as mum attacked outside California store

Antler's EasyJet-approved backpack that 'reduces back strain' is now £46 off

International manhunt for Brit after Magaluf 'hit and run' injures tourists

Kremlin releases photo of Donald Trump and Putin talking without US interpreter - again

'The world is behaving irrationally' - Putin's warm welcome gets cold reaction in Ukraine

Air Canada suspends operations as flight attendants go on strike

Video shows prominent Palestinian prisoner for the first time in years

The power of the Trump-Putin presidential photo op.

Why Is the U.S. Offering a $5 Million Reward for a Haitian Gang Leader?

After Meeting Putin, Trump Reverts to Land Swaps for Peace in Ukraine

Skipping the U.S. and taking a vacation to East Coast this year? It will cost you.

B.C. legislator enraged by American state senator’s ‘nonsense’ pitch to join U.S.

First Nation in B.C. says 41 more graves found by penetrating radar at school sit

The Candy Man Killer murdered 28 people, mainly teens lured by candy or drugs: ‘Everybody was blaming the kids for their demise’

‘The children in Gaza are too weak to play or sing: hunger has stolen their childhood’

‘No Mercy’: An ultra-violent video game wound up getting more than 20,000 NSFW gamer favorites censored — but not by who you’d think

Mark Zuckerberg’s property empire unmasked. Here’s everything we know, from where they are to how much he splurged on them

Trump's unprecedented show of force in L.A., Washington are pushing norms, sparking fears

The decline of drinking, explained in one chart

‘I’m bulk buying Mounjaro ahead of price hike — it’s changed my life’

Job market gloom hasn't been this bad since the Great Recession

Mass funerals held after more than 300 die in floods across India and Pakistan

Pensioner brutally killed after being accused of 'stealing chocolate from shop'

No ceasefire, no deal: What summit means for Trump, Putin and Ukraine

Hurricane Erin becomes a Category 4 in the Caribbean as the region braces for flooding

As arms race in Asia intensifies, a-bomb survivors make final plea for peace

Marooned by Air Canada flight attendant strike? Here are your options

Decades after a PM got pied, the threat landscape in Canadian politics has changed

Air Canada flight attendants on strike, airline’s flights cancelled

Warm handshakes and an invitation to Moscow: The key takeaways from Putin and Trump’s summit in Alaska

A quick look back at this week’s biggest stories

Second Afghan data breach creates new headache for Government after thousands 'had personal details exposed'

Putin’s ‘shaky’ legs after Trump summit reignite health conspiracy theories