U.S. President Donald Trump described his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the historic U.S.-Russia Summit in Anchorage, Alaska, on August 15, 2025, as “productive,” while noting, “there’s no deal until there’s a deal.”

“We had an extremely productive meeting, and many points were agreed to. There are just a very few that are left. Some are not that significant. One is probably the most significant, but we have a very good chance of getting there. We didn’t get there, but we have a very good chance of getting there… there’s no deal until there’s a deal,” President Trump said during a joint press briefing alongside President Putin with a blue background saying “Pursuing Peace.”

President Trump said he plans to brief North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and other key partners on the meeting’s outcome, emphasizing that the final decision is “ultimately up to them.”

Acknowledging senior U.S. officials in attendance including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and CIA Director John Radcliffe, President Trump praised them as “really great leaders” who have been “doing a phenomenal job.”

Pointing to Russian business representatives in the audience, he remarked, “Everybody wants to deal with us. We become the hottest country anywhere in the world in a very short period of time. And we look forward to that.”

Citing “great progress” during the talks, President Trump reiterated his positive relationship with Putin despite past political tensions, saying, “We were interfered with by the ‘Russia, Russia, Russia’ hoax that made it a little bit tougher to deal with, but he understood it.” 

He expressed hope that both leaders could work together to “stop thousands of people from being killed,” adding that he looked forward to meeting again soon.

President Putin responded, “Next time in Moscow,” prompting Trump to reply, “Oh, that’s an interesting one. I’ll get a little heat on that one. But I could see it possibly happening.”

In his remarks, President Putin reflected on historical moments when the U.S. and Russia fought common enemies, describing the “spirit of battle camaraderie and allyship” as a foundation for rebuilding relations. He acknowledged that bilateral ties had reached the “lowest point since the Cold War” over the past four years, calling for a shift “from confrontation to dialog” and noting that a personal meeting between the two heads of state was “long overdue.”

President Putin praised his “good direct contact” with Trump, citing previous phone calls and multiple visits by Special Envoy Steve Witkoff to Moscow. He said discussions frequently centered on the situation in Ukraine, which he described as a “tragedy” and a “terrible wound” for Russia given the nations’ shared history. Therefore, Russia is sincerely interested in “putting an end to it.”

“We see the strive of the administration and President Trump personally to help facilitate the resolution of the Ukrainian conflict, his strive to get to the crux of the matter, and to understand this history is precious. As I’ve said, the situation in Ukraine has to do with fundamental threats to our security,” he added commending President Trump’s efforts. “Moreover, we’ve always considered the Ukrainian nation, and I’ve said it multiple times, a brotherly nation…”

He stressed the importance of addressing “all legitimate concerns of Russia” and restoring a “just balance of security in Europe and in the world as a whole.” While agreeing with President Trump that Ukraine’s security must be ensured, President Putin said Russia was ready to work toward that goal. “I would like to hope that the agreement that we’ve reached together will help us bring closer that goal and will pave the path towards peace in Ukraine.”

President Putin urged Kyiv and European capitals to approach the progress constructively and warned against “provocations to torpedo the nascent progress.” He also highlighted the untapped potential for U.S.-Russia cooperation in trade, technology, space exploration, and Arctic development.

“It’s very important for our countries to turn the page, to go back to cooperation,” President Putin said, adding that the geographic proximity of the two nations, separated in Alaska by the International Date Line, was symbolic of the possibility to “step over literally from yesterday into tomorrow” in political relations.

He commended Trump’s clarity of vision and understanding of Russia’s national interests, expressing hope that the agreements reached would serve as a starting point not only for resolving the Ukraine conflict but also for reestablishing “business-like and pragmatic relations” between the two countries.

Recalling his previous exchange with the Biden administration in 2022, President Putin said he had warned against bringing hostilities to “the point of no return” and asserted that if Trump had been President at the time, “there will be no war… I can confirm that.”

President Putin said the two leaders had built a “business-like and trustworthy contact” and that he was confident this path could lead to ending the war in Ukraine.

The summit ended without either leader taking questions from journalists.

Related posts:

Ukraine-India Relations: Navigating Historical Ties and Russian Disinformation in a New Geopolitical Era US expresses concern over India-Russia relationship President Biden says Ukraine will fight Russia with collective support of NATO; White House says India can help end the war in Ukraine ‘We see it in citizens across the world peacefully choosing their future — from Ghana to India to South Korea’ says President Joe Biden during his UNGA Address