Is Russian Media Overjoyed as US Welcomes Putin?

Anchorage (Alaska), Aug 16 (NationPress) The reaction in Russia to the summit between President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump on Friday has been overwhelmingly positive.

The Russian media expressed sheer joy as the Russian leader received applause from the US President while the red carpet was ceremoniously rolled out for Putin at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska.

“For years, they have been discussing Russia's isolation, and today they witnessed the red carpet welcoming the Russian President,” Maria Zakharova, the spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, stated on social media.

While both Trump and Putin indicated that agreements were made, the specifics remain unclear.

Furthermore, Putin seems steadfast on Russia's core demands.

In his statements after the meeting, the Russian leader emphasized that any agreement must “address all of Russia's legitimate concerns and restore a fair balance of security in Europe and globally.”

Although the extent of progress towards a ceasefire in Ukraine is uncertain, both Trump and Putin expressed a desire to normalize relations between the US and Russia and conveyed their intent to meet again.

“Next time in Moscow,” asserted Putin.

Trump remarked on Friday that he and Putin “made some headway” and achieved “great progress” during their bilateral meeting, but he added that “there's no deal until there's a deal.”

“I will reach out to NATO shortly. I will contact those I find appropriate, including President Volodymyr Zelensky, to discuss today’s meeting. Ultimately, it’s up to them,” Trump stated after the summit in Anchorage, Alaska.

“We had a highly productive meeting, and many points were agreed upon,” the US President continued, stating, “We haven't fully reached an agreement, but we have a promising opportunity.”

Trump added that Ukraine must “agree” with what Secretary of State Marco Rubio, special envoy Steve Witkoff, and others from his administration discussed with Putin, though he did not elaborate on any specific deal framework.

Neither Trump nor Putin addressed questions following their statements.

Putin commenced his remarks and spoke for approximately eight minutes, while Trump, known for his lengthy news conferences, spoke for about four minutes.

“I’m going to make a few phone calls to inform them of what occurred,” Trump said.

Putin initiated his remarks at the press conference by recognizing that US-Russia relations have deteriorated in recent years. Typically, a joint news conference would start with comments from the US leader followed by his guest.

Putin stated that the fundamental causes of the war must be addressed for the conflict in Ukraine to conclude.

Additionally, the Russian leader urged Ukrainian and European leaders to refrain from interfering with “the emerging progress.”

The discussions between Putin and Trump occurred in a “respectful, constructive, and mutually respectful atmosphere,” Putin remarked.

Putin affirmed his agreement that the security of Ukraine should be prioritized.

He also suggested that the war in Ukraine would not have escalated had Trump been President in 2022.

Trump reiterated that he would have prevented the widespread conflict that erupted during Joe Biden's administration when Russia invaded Ukraine.

On Friday, Putin acknowledged that Trump's assertion was accurate — a stance he has consistently maintained.

Putin stated 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 established a solid, businesslike, and trusting connection. I firmly believe that by advancing along this path, we can achieve — and the sooner, the better — an end to the conflict in Ukraine,” added the Russian President.

During the press conference in Anchorage, Alaska, Putin urged Ukrainian and European leaders to avoid interference.

“We anticipate that Kyiv and European capitals will view this constructively and refrain from creating obstacles, avoiding attempts to disrupt the emerging progress through provocations and behind-the-scenes intrigues,” he said.

“The situation in Ukraine is tied to fundamental threats to our security,” Putin remarked during the press conference on Friday in Alaska.

While Russia aims to resolve the ongoing situation in Ukraine, Putin stated, “We are convinced that to achieve a lasting and long-term resolution, we must eliminate all primary roots and causes of that conflict.”

“To consider all legitimate concerns of Russia and to restore a fair balance of security in Europe and worldwide. I concur with President Trump, as he articulated today, that the security of Ukraine must also be ensured,” he added.

“We are naturally prepared to collaborate on that. I hope that the agreement we have reached will assist us in approaching that objective and pave the way toward peace in Ukraine,” Putin stated.

Putin is proposing a new location for his next meeting with President Donald Trump in Moscow.

Putin's suggestion for a subsequent summit to be hosted in the Russian capital — a request he made in English — elicited a mixed response from Trump.

The American President acknowledged that agreeing to this proposal would be contentious, yet he did not entirely dismiss it.

“That’s an intriguing proposition; I might receive some backlash on that,” Trump remarked.

“But I could foresee it potentially occurring.”

US President Donald Trump stated he has “always maintained a fantastic relationship with President Vladimir Putin,” but that it was hindered by investigations during his first term regarding Moscow's interference in the 2016 US election.

“We had numerous difficult yet fruitful meetings,” Trump stated during a joint news conference.

“We were affected by the Russia, Russia, Russia hoax. It made it somewhat tougher to engage, but he comprehended it,” Trump explained.

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

Neither leader disclosed details of the agreement or indicated whether a ceasefire would occur.

Prior to the summit, Trump stated that he would not negotiate on behalf of Ukraine, leaving it to Zelensky to finalize a deal.

Both Presidents refrained from answering reporter inquiries.

Putin emphasized, “We must modify the situation to transition from confrontation to dialogue.”

“No matter how strange it may sound under these circumstances, we (both Russia and Ukraine) share the same roots, and everything occurring is a tragedy for us and a deep wound,” he remarked.

“Thus, the country is genuinely interested in bringing this to an end.”

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

The anticipated third phase of a luncheon meeting with additional officials did not seem to take place.

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