US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin said they had reached an "understanding" on ending the war in Ukraine following a nearly three-hour meeting in Alaska — but offered no specifics and left the summit without answering questions from reporters. The two leaders met for about 2 1/2 hours behind closed doors on Friday at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage. The summit began with a warm handshake on the tarmac beneath a sign reading "Alaska 2025" and concluded with brief statements from both leaders. They described the talks as productive and constructive, but declined to elaborate on what had been agreed. "We have a very good chance of getting there," Trump said during a joint press conference, referring to ending the war. "We didn't get there, but we have a very good chance." Putin said the two sides "reached an understanding" and emphasized the need to "restore a fair balance" in global security. He added that Moscow was "ready to work" on Ukrainian security but did not explain how that would be achieved. He also thanked Trump for the "friendly" tone of the talks and proposed holding the next meeting in Moscow. Neither leader took questions after their remarks. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the statements were "comprehensive," which is why they chose not to engage with the press. Putin's envoy for investment, Kirill Dmitriev, said the summit was "definitely productive," citing potential economic cooperation, though no details were disclosed. Trump, in a post-summit interview with Fox News' Sean Hannity, avoided directly answering whether he had sized up Putin's intent within the first two minutes of the meeting — something he previously promised he could do. Instead, Trump praised their longstanding relationship and repeated claims that the U.S. investigation into Russian election interference in 2016 had obstructed closer cooperation. Both leaders departed separately after the summit. Putin later visited Fort Richardson National Cemetery to lay flowers on the graves of Soviet WWII pilots and referenced the historic Alaska-Siberia air route, used to deliver U.S. aircraft to the USSR during the war. Putin reiterated Moscow's position that peace can only come when all "root causes" of the conflict are addressed — including halting Western arms deliveries and addressing Russia's security concerns. Trump said he would call Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other NATO leaders to update them on the meeting's outcome, though Zelenskyy was not invited to the summit. While Trump said there are only "a very few" issues still unresolved, he acknowledged that "one is probably the most significant." Putin, echoing Trump's campaign rhetoric, said there would have been no war in Ukraine had Trump remained president. "I can confirm that," he said. No joint communique or formal agreement was issued at the end of the summit. The leaders left open the possibility of another meeting, with Trump responding to Putin's invitation by saying, "I could see it possibly happening." — Agencies
