‘High-Stakes’ Ukraine Peace Talks Begin at Trump-Putin Alaska Summit – What We Know So Far

US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin on a chilly Friday in Alaska met face-to-face for the first time since 2019. The two leaders greeted each other with smiles, a handshake, and a brief exchange on the red carpet at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson before heading into several hours of discussions focussed on ending the war in Ukraine.

Putin grinned and pointed skyward during the handshake, while B-2 bombers and F-22 fighter jets soared overhead. “HIGH STAKES!!!” Trump had posted earlier during the day before boarding the Air Force One.

The Ukraine Question

Despite peace in Ukraine being the central issue of the summit, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was not invited, an omission that alarmed Kyiv and its European allies alike, who have expressed skepticism over a potentially deal they fear could possibly favour Russia.

“It’s time to end the war, and the necessary steps must be taken by Russia. We are counting on America,” Zelenskyy said in a message on Telegram. Meanwhile, Russian attacks continued, including a missile strike on Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region, Reuters reported.

Trump-Putin Alaska Summit Live Updates: Putin Meets Trump in Three-on-Three Talks with Top Russian Diplomats

Trump Says He’s ‘Not Here to Negotiate for Ukraine’

Before the summit, Trump had told reporters aboard Air Force One that he was not going “to negotiate for Ukraine”, saying “I am here to get them at a table.” Asked what would define success, he had replied, “I want to see a ceasefire rapidly… I want the killing to stop.”

Acknowledging that ensuring peace was proving tougher than he had previously claimed, Trump further said there was “a possibility” of offering Ukraine US-backed security guarantees –though not via the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), which Russia appears to have vehemently opposed.

Inside the Talks

Initial plans for a one-on-one were changed to a three-on-three meeting, in what analysts believe reflected a more cautious approach than during the duo’s 2018 meeting in Helsinki. Trump was joined by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff, while Putin was flanked by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and presidential aide Yury Ushakov.

A bilateral meeting followed, with other top American officials includinng Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent joining in.

Russia’s Agenda and Strategic Goals

Experts say that for Putin, Alaska summit is a chance to break diplomatic isolation and push for terms that could freeze the frontlines, gain informal recognition of Russian-held Ukrainian territory, and halt the expansion of NATO.

A Reuters report citing sources stated on Friday that Moscow might consider a ceasefire, subject to key conditions of verification and sanctions relief getting fulfilled. “Apparently, some terms will be agreed upon… because Trump cannot be refused,” a Kremlin official told the US-based news agency on the condition of anonymity.

Can a Peace Deal Be Finalised?

While Putin has expressed openness toward the idea of a potential ceasefire and Trump has voiced his intent to end the war, there is no immediate guarantee of success, especially given that Zelenskyy, for his part, has insisted no land will be ceded to Russia, while seeking US-backed security guarantees.

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