According to the Wall Street Journal editorial board, President Trump “tried to put the best spin he could Friday on his summit with Vladimir Putin in Alaska, and the mutual pleasantries were effusive. But the substantive news from the meeting seems to be that Mr. Putin refuses to end his war in Ukraine, and he won’t even agree to a temporary cease-fire.” Trump promised progress and peace, but he did not get either.
Trump told reporters they “made some great progress today,” yet he offered no details. No agreements were announced. No end to hostilities. He said they agreed on many things, but not on the most significant issues, such as a ceasefire or compromises on Putin’s war goals. Europe may feel some relief that Trump did not announce a deal on their behalf. He said he would call European allies and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky to brief them on the meeting. That shows how little real progress was made.
Putin gave nothing on Ukraine. He repeated his familiar line that the “root causes” of the war must be addressed before it can end. By that, he blames Ukraine for wanting its future as part of the European Union while seeking support from NATO countries.
Putin spent most of the press conference praising Trump and endorsing the U.S. president’s view that the war would not have happened if Trump had been in office in 2022. He also mentioned possibilities for U.S.-Russia business ties. With his economy struggling, Putin wants financial relief while keeping his military campaign going.
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The summit ended Putin’s isolation from the West without his giving up anything. He gained more time to continue bombing Ukrainian cities and slowly take more land. It also helped him rebuild his image as a world leader while still holding firm on his war goals.
Trump, meanwhile, promised “very severe consequences” if Putin did not agree to a cease-fire. After the summit, he showed no anger. No sanctions were announced. There were no immediate actions against Russian allies like China or Turkey, even though he had acted against India before. It is not clear if Trump will follow through or hold a second summit, hoping for a different outcome.
The Wall Street Journal also pointed out a clear mismatch. Trump wants to be a peacemaker. Putin wants results without compromise. Words and charm do not replace strategy or strength. While Trump called the summit “progress,” it was mostly Putin’s success. The Russian leader gained time, influence, and freedom to continue attacks. The U.S. president’s role looked mostly ceremonial.
Featured image via X screengrab
