Donald Trump's reaction to Vladimir Putin arriving sparks fury

 

Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin met in Alaska this week to discuss the war in Ukraine. Trump was clear about one thing: he said he “won’t be happy” if a ceasefire isn’t reached.

The meeting itself had a very different tone than his remarks. When Putin arrived on the tarmac, Trump greeted him warmly. He clapped as the Russian leader walked toward him, then shook his hand with a big smile before they both walked off together. The two leaders even paused briefly for photos, ignoring questions being shouted by reporters.

The optics sparked mixed reactions. Critics were furious that Putin—who has been accused internationally of war crimes—was welcomed so warmly on U.S. soil. Some on social media expressed disgust, describing Trump’s applause as childish or inappropriate. One person even wrote: “Putin wins. He made it to the U.S. and got Trump to clap for him. Disgusting.”

At the same time, some Trump supporters defended the gesture as standard diplomacy. They argued that applauding was a way of showing respect to a visiting head of state, and that Trump was focused on creating an environment where real progress could be made.

The talks themselves began around 11:30am local time and were set to run into the evening, with a joint press conference scheduled for later. While Trump has repeatedly stressed that a Ukraine ceasefire is at the top of his agenda, the White House hasn’t released any details about whether progress was made behind closed doors.

Whether this friendliness between Trump and Putin will translate into meaningful negotiations remains to be seen.