Inside the Trump–Putin Summit: Surprises, Silence, and Concessions

When Vladimir Putin stepped off his plane in Alaska, he was greeted with an unusually warm welcome from Donald Trump, who applauded him as he walked across the tarmac.

The long-awaited peace summit between the two leaders took place at the US military’s Elmendorf-Richardson Joint Base. After a photo opportunity and handshake their first since 2019 Trump invited Putin into his armored vehicle, known as the Beast, before the two headed off for several hours of closed-door talks.

When the leaders finally emerged, the mood seemed to favor Putin. He appeared to have made no major concessions while avoiding the threat of new US sanctions. What followed was a remarkably short press appearance: just twelve minutes.

Observers noted three unusual details. First, Putin spoke before Trump, which surprised many since the US President was technically the host. Second, Trump’s remarks were noticeably brief a rarity in his public appearances. Third, both leaders refused to take any questions from reporters, leaving the international press corps frustrated after flying thousands of miles to Alaska.

One journalist described the scene: “When Putin started speaking first, you could almost hear heads turning in the room. Everyone expected Trump to lead, but instead he stayed quiet until his turn came. And when he did speak, he kept it short.”

Since the summit, reports have circulated that Trump has privately suggested to European leaders that the war in Ukraine could be ended by pressuring President Zelensky to accept territorial concessions. According to officials quoted by The New York Times, Trump believes peace is possible “so long as Zelensky agrees to cede the rest of the Donbas region to Russia even those areas not currently occupied by Russian troops.”

Whether such a proposal could ever be accepted remains deeply uncertain, but the summit itself has already sparked debate about what it really achieved, and who truly walked away stronger.