Without stopping fire or agreement: what does the Alaska Summit mean for Trump, Putin and Ukraine

It was an indirect way to admit that, after several hours of conversations, there is no agreement. There is no fire. Nothing tangible to report.

The president said that he and Vladimir Putin achieved “great advances” but, with few details about what they could be, they are something that remains the imagination of the world.

“We did not succeed,” he said later, before leaving the room without answering questions from the hundreds of journalists gathered there.

Trump walked a long way to only generate such vagueness, although the European allies of the United States and Ukrainian officials may feel relieved that he did not offer unilateral concessions or agreements that could have undermined future negotiations.

For those who appear as a peacemaker and negotiator, it seems that Trump abandoned Alaska without peace and without an agreement.

Nor are there indications that a future summit be held with the president of Ukraine, Volodymir Zelensky, despite the joke that Putin made about his “next time in Moscow.”

While Trump had less at stake during these negotiations than Ukraine or Russia, even so, this will affect its national and international prestige after previous promises that this meeting had only 25% likely to fail.

Moreover, the president had to suffer the apparent indignity of remaining silent while Putin began the joint appearance with extensive initial comments.

It was a marked difference with the usual routine in the Oval Office, where the US president usually keeps the floor while his foreign counterpart observes without commenting.

While Alaska is American territory, Putin seemed more comfortable in a place than – as his officials like to stand out – was the “Russian America” before his sale to the United States in the 19th century.

This could affect the US president in the next few days, as well as the press coverage that this summit will present as a failure.

The big question now – one that journalists could not ask this Friday because in the end there was no press conference – is whether Trump will decide to impose his so announced new sanctions on Russia as punishment.

The president partially addressed this issue in a friendly interview with Fox News Before leaving, stating that he would consider such a measure “perhaps in two or three weeks.”

However, since the president promised “severe consequences” if Russia did not advance towards a high fire, such an inaccurate response could generate more questions than answers.

Steve Rosenberg, Para Russia Editor de la Bbc

When a “press conference” is not a press conference?

The surprise was palpable in the room when Presidents Putin and Trump left the stand as soon as they pronounce their statements, without answering any questions.

The members of the Russian delegation also quickly abandoned the Chamber without answering any of the questions shouted by journalists.

There are clear signs that, as regards the war in Ukraine, Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump continue to have a big difference of opinion.

Donald Trump has been pressing for Russia to declare fire. Vladimir Putin did not grant it.

First thing of the day, the atmosphere was very different. President Trump had deployed the red carpet to Vladimir Putin, treating the Kremlin leader as an guest of honor.

Today, the Russian president has had his moment of geopolitical prominence, sharing the stage with the leader of the most powerful country in the world.

But how will Trump react to what happened? He has not yet managed to persuade Putin to end the Russian war in Ukraine.

He had previously threatened to adopt a harder approach with Russia, with ultimatums, deadlines and warnings of more sanctions if Moscow ignored the calls to the high fire.

He has not fulfilled his word.

Vitaliy Shevchenko, Editor Para Rusia de BBC Monitoring

What has just happened in Anchorage may seem disappointing for many, but in Kyiv you will breathe relief as no “agreement” that supposes a loss of territory for Ukraine is announced.

The Ukrainians also know that all their key agreements with Russia have ended up breaking, so, although one here had been announced in Anchorage, they would have been skeptical.

However, the Ukrainians will alarm that, in the joint appearance before the media, Vladimir Putin spoke again of the “fundamental causes” of the conflict and said that only its elimination would lead to lasting peace.

Translated from the language of Kremlin, this means that it remains determined to pursue the original objective of its “special military operation”, which is dismantled Ukraine as an independent state.

Three and a half years of western efforts have failed to change their minds, and that now includes the Alaska Summit.

The uncertainty that persists after the meeting is also worrying. What will happen now? Will Russia attacks continue incessantly?

In recent months a series of western deadlines have occurred that have been exceeded without consequences and threats that have never been carried out.

The Ukrainians see this as an invitation to Putin to continue their attacks.

They may see the apparent lack of advances achieved in Anchorage under the same perspective.

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