Russian President Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump met in Anchorage, Alaska, on August 15 for long-awaited discussions about a possible peace deal in the Russia-Ukraine war. Their meeting lasted more than three hours, after which they appeared before the press for a 12-minute conference.
While no ceasefire was reached, Trump described the talks as “extremely productive,” saying that many points had been agreed upon and only a few, including one very significant issue, were still unresolved.
Towards the end, Putin unexpectedly spoke in English, telling Trump, “Next time in Moscow,” which seemed to catch the former U.S. president off guard. Trump responded that it was “an interesting one” and admitted he might face criticism but could see the possibility of visiting Russia. The U.S. has not seen a presidential visit to Russia since Barack Obama attended the G20 Summit in 2013.
Ahead of the meeting, Trump acknowledged doubts about his ability to secure peace, blaming Biden for the continuation of the conflict but insisting he wanted to end it. He said he would be proud to achieve that goal as he had with other wars during his presidency. At the same time, Trump warned that if Putin showed no willingness to move toward peace, Russia would face “economically severe” consequences.