Vladimir Putin Visits USA for First Time in 10 Years, Begins Ukraine War Talks
- Vladimir Putin arrived in the US for the first time in a decade, welcomed by Donald Trump with military honours in Alaska, a moment cast as Russia's diplomatic comeback
- The high-stakes summit lasted nearly three hours but produced no ceasefire, with both leaders offering vague assurances of progress
- Even as Putin’s convoy moved through Anchorage, Russian missiles and drones struck Ukrainian cities
- For Trump, the meeting offered bold optics as he hinted at future talks in Moscow while conceding the Ukraine war was tougher to resolve
Education is Your Right! Don’t Let Social Norms Hold You Back. Learn Online with TUKO. Enroll Now!
Didacus Malowa, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.
Russian President Vladimir Putin set foot in the US for the first time in a decade, receiving a red-carpet welcome from US President Donald Trump at Alaska’s Elmendorf Air Force Base.
Source: Getty Images
The summit, billed as a turning point in the Ukraine war, ended without a ceasefire agreement but with both leaders insisting they had made progress.
In the Friday, August 15, high-stakes summit, the leaders met for close to three hours and when they emerged, the only certainty was uncertainty.
They offered vague assurances of progress, but no clear path to ending Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War II.
"There were many, many points that we agreed on, most of them, I would say. A couple of big ones that we haven’t quite gotten there, but we’ve made some headway. There’s no deal until there’s a deal," Trump told reporters after the talks.
Putin, who spoke through an interpreter, described the discussions as precious, revealing that an understanding had been reached, urging Europe not to torpedo emerging progress.
But like Trump, he offered no details before they left the stage without taking questions, a departure from Trump’s habit of press exchanges.
Russia sustains attacks on Ukraine amid talks
Even as Putin’s motorcade rolled through Anchorage, Ukrainian cities came under drone and missile alerts.
Regional governors in eastern Ukraine reported fresh Russian attacks, underscoring how distant a ceasefire remains despite the summit’s symbolism.
For Kyiv, the absence of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy from the talks was a major blow and talking point.
Trump had earlier suggested a three-way summit with Zelenskyy as his ultimate objective, but the Alaska meeting made no mention of such plans.
Instead, Trump said he would phone the various people that he thinks are appropriate, including Zelenskyy, to brief them.
Zelenskyy had warned ahead of the meeting that peace could only come if Russia took necessary steps to end the war.
How did Putin win in talks with Trump?
However, for the Russian leader, who last visited the US in 2015, the summit itself was a huge victory.
Since ordering the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, he has been treated as a pariah by much of the West, with an International Criminal Court warrant hanging over his head.
Read also
Homa Bay: Senators demand KSh 1m reward from Ruto after beating governors in friendly match
By standing beside Trump on American soil, the strongman signalled Russia’s return to global diplomacy.
The warm greeting, complete with military flyovers, a red carpet, and even a shared ride in the presidential limousine known as the Beast, was celebrated on Russian state media as a "historic handshake."
Smiling broadly, Putin waved from the limousine window, an image that quickly spread across Moscow’s news channels as evidence of his restored stature.
Will Trump hold another summit with Putin?
For Trump, the optics were equally important as he has often promised to end the Ukraine war “within 24 hours” if given the chance.
Source: Getty Images
Yet his remarks on Friday hinted at the limits of his influence; the US president admitted the conflict was proving a tougher task than expected.
When Putin suggested "next time in Moscow," Trump quipped that he might "get a little heat on that one" but added, "I could see it possibly happening."
Why did Trump warn Putin, Russia?
Earlier, the US president issued a stern warning to Putin via Truth Social, stating that Putin is "playing with fire".
Trump claimed Putin had misjudged American restraint and suggested that harsher measures, likely in the form of fresh sanctions, may follow.
He accused Putin of acting "absolutely crazy" and emphasised that without him, Russia would have faced severe consequences.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
