Putin Invites Trump to Moscow After Alaska Summit
On Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin made an uncommon public transition to English to extend an invitation to U.S. President Donald J. Trump to visit Moscow for the upcoming round of peace negotiations, following their prominent summit in Alaska.
The two leaders convened in Anchorage for what Trump characterized as an “extremely productive” meeting, although no formal agreement was established. Both leaders indicated that progress had been achieved, with Trump highlighting his “very good chance” of ultimately finalizing a deal, as reported by CNN.
“We didn’t reach an agreement, but we have a very good chance of achieving that,” Trump stated during a joint press conference. “The agreements made today will assist us in revitalizing pragmatic relations.”
The summit concluded on a symbolic note when Putin, addressing Trump in English, remarked: “Next time in Moscow.”
“That’s an interesting one,” Trump responded with a smile. “I’ll receive some criticism for that one. However, I can envision it potentially occurring.”
Putin commended the discussions as “constructive” and expressed gratitude to Trump for what he termed a “friendly” and “results-oriented” approach. He proposed that the talks could “initiate our journey towards a resolution in Ukraine” and reiterated his assertion that the war would not have occurred if Trump had been president at the onset of the conflict.
Neither leader offered specifics regarding any breakthroughs, and they refrained from answering questions from the media before their departure.
The discussions elicited prompt reactions across Europe.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, regarded as Putin’s closest ally within the European Union and also having a good rapport with Trump, proclaimed that the world “is a safer place today” due to the Alaska summit.
“For years, we have observed the two largest nuclear powers calculating the parameters of their cooperation and communicating messages to one another. That era has concluded,” Orban posted on Facebook Saturday. “The world is a safer place today than it was yesterday.”]} }}
The summit was succeeded by a transatlantic conference call that featured Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and various European leaders.
As reported by the French government, the conversation extended for more than an hour and included French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, and Polish President Karol Nawrocki. Additionally, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen participated.
This call was characterized as a chance to align positions following Trump’s meeting with Putin and to deliberate on potential subsequent steps in peace negotiations.
In his initial public remarks since the Alaska summit, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed support for Trump’s suggestion of a trilateral meeting involving the United States, Russia, and Ukraine.
“Ukraine underscores that significant issues can be addressed at the leadership level, and a trilateral format is appropriate for this,” Zelensky stated. “It is crucial that Europeans are engaged at every phase to guarantee reliable security assurances alongside America.”
Zelensky mentioned that he had a private conversation with Trump lasting approximately an hour after the Alaska summit, which was followed by the broader call with European leaders. He noted that Trump conveyed the “main points” of his dialogue with Putin and indicated a constructive role for the United States in offering security guarantees to Ukraine.
“Ukraine reiterates its commitment to exert maximum effort to attain peace,” Zelensky remarked. “It is vital that America’s strength influences the evolution of the situation.”
Zelensky has declared his intention to visit Washington, D.C., on Monday for a meeting with Trump to deliberate on “all aspects concerning the cessation of the violence and the conflict.”
“I appreciate the invitation,” Zelensky remarked, emphasizing that he considers the talks to be a pivotal opportunity for advancing towards peace.
The Anchorage summit represented the most recent effort to revive direct negotiations between the U.S. and Russia, now bolstered by European participation and an impending meeting in Washington with Zelensky.