Did Trump and Putin Make Significant Progress in Their Bilateral Meeting?

Anchorage (Alaska), Aug 16 (NationPress) US President Donald Trump stated on Friday that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin have achieved "some progress" and "great strides" during their bilateral discussions, though he cautioned that "no agreement exists until an agreement is finalized."

"I will reach out to NATO shortly. I will contact the relevant individuals I believe are suited for this. Additionally, I will communicate with President Volodymyr Zelensky to update him on today's discussions. Ultimately, the decision lies with them," Trump remarked following the summit in Anchorage, Alaska, according to CNN.

"Our meeting was highly productive, and numerous topics were agreed upon," the US President elaborated, noting, "We haven't finalized everything, but our chances of success are promising."

Trump emphasized that Ukraine must "agree" with the points discussed between Secretary of State Marco Rubio, special envoy Steve Witkoff, and others from his administration with Putin, although he refrained from providing specific details regarding any potential agreement framework.

Neither Trump nor Putin entertained questions after their statements.

Putin initiated the comments and spoke for approximately eight minutes.

In contrast, Trump, who is known for his typically lengthy and often unscripted news conferences, spoke for only about four minutes.

"I will begin making several phone calls to inform them about the outcomes of our meeting," Trump declared.

During the press briefing, Putin acknowledged the deterioration of US-Russia relations in recent years. Typically, a joint news conference begins with remarks from the American President, followed by his guest.

Putin asserted that the primary triggers of the ongoing war must be addressed for the conflict in Ukraine to conclude.

The Russian leader also urged Ukrainian and European officials not to obstruct "the emerging progress."

Putin described the negotiations between himself and Trump as taking place in a "respectful, constructive, and mutually respectful environment."

He affirmed his agreement that the security of Ukraine needs to be prioritized.

At one point, the Russian leader claimed that the war in Ukraine would not have occurred had Trump remained in office in 2022.

Trump indicated he has several calls to make after the summit, including to NATO, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and other significant officials.

Trump has consistently asserted that he could have prevented the large-scale conflict that erupted during Joe Biden's presidency when Russia invaded Ukraine.

On Friday, Putin acknowledged that Trump’s assertion was accurate—a sentiment he has echoed previously.

Putin mentioned that in 2022 he attempted to persuade Biden to prevent the situation from escalating to a point where "serious consequences in the form of military actions could occur."

"President Trump and I developed a solid, business-like, and trusting relationship. I believe that by continuing along this path, we can achieve the end of the conflict in Ukraine—the sooner, the better," the Russian President stated.

During the Anchorage press conference, Putin advised Ukrainian and European leaders against interference.

"We anticipate that Kyiv and European capitals will approach this constructively and refrain from creating obstacles or attempting to disrupt the emerging progress through provocations and behind-the-scenes maneuvers," he noted.

"The situation in Ukraine relates to fundamental threats to our security," Putin remarked at the press conference in Alaska.

While expressing Russia's interest in resolving the ongoing issues in Ukraine, Putin emphasized that "to achieve a lasting settlement, we must eliminate all primary causes of this conflict."

"We must consider all legitimate concerns of Russia to restore a fair balance of security in Europe and globally. I concur with President Trump that, of course, Ukraine's security must also be guaranteed," he continued.

"We are ready to work towards that, and I hope that the agreement we've reached will assist us in coming closer to that goal and pave the way for peace in Ukraine," Putin added.

Putin proposed a different venue for his next meeting with President Donald Trump in Moscow.

His suggestion for a subsequent summit in the Russian capital—made in English—elicited a mixed response from Trump.

The American President acknowledged that agreeing to such a proposal could be contentious but did not entirely dismiss the idea.

"That's an intriguing proposition; I might face some backlash on that one," Trump remarked.

"However, I can envision it potentially happening."

President Donald Trump stated he has "always maintained an excellent relationship with President Vladimir Putin" but noted that it was hindered by investigations during his initial term regarding Moscow's interference in the 2016 US election.

"We had many challenging yet productive meetings," Trump recounted during a joint news conference.

"We were obstructed by the Russia, Russia, Russia hoax. This made dealings a bit more complex, but he understood," Trump explained.

Earlier, the two Presidents announced a significant breakthrough following three hours of discussions regarding Ukraine in Anchorage, Alaska, on Friday.

Neither leader provided specific details about the agreement or indicated whether a ceasefire would be established.

Prior to the summit, Trump expressed that he would not negotiate on behalf of Ukraine, emphasizing that it was up to Zelensky to finalize any agreement.

Neither President took questions from the media.

Putin stated, "We must amend the situation to transition from confrontation to dialogue."

"Strangely as it may sound given the current circumstances, we (Russia and Ukraine) share common roots, and everything occurring is a tragedy for us and a profound wound," he stated.

"Thus, the country sincerely wishes to bring this conflict to an end."

Instead of the initially planned three phases of the summit, which began with a one-on-one meeting, they proceeded directly to the second phase involving Trump's Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, alongside Putin's foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov, Defence Minister Andrei Belousov, and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

It appeared that the third phase, featuring a luncheon with additional officials, was not taking place.

Trump welcomed Putin on a red carpet, and they engaged in friendly conversation as they entered a limousine and continued their dialogue.