Next Time In Moscow?: Russia President Putin Invites US Counterpart Trump To Russia

Following a three-hour, closed-door meeting in Alaska, Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump appeared before the press but declined to take questions. Both leaders described their summit as "constructive," signaling a cautious sense of progress despite the lack of a formal agreement or joint statement.

Speaking at length, Putin called the talks "thorough and useful," expressing hope that their understanding would "pave the way for peace in Ukraine." He warned against any attempts to disrupt the "emerging progress" through provocation.

Russian President Vladimir Putin says, "... We see the strive of the administration and President Trump personally to help facilitate the resolution of the Ukrainian conflict and his strive to get to the crux of the matter to understand this history is precious. The situation in Ukraine poses a fundamental threat to our security... At the same time, we are convinced that in order to make the settlement lasting and long-term, we need to eliminate all the primary causes of the conflict.

We have said it multiple times to consider all legitimate constraints of Russia and to reinstate a just balance of security in Europe and in the world as a whole. I agree with President Trump, as he has said today, that naturally, the security of Ukraine should be ensured as well. Naturally, we are prepared to welcome that. I would like to hope that the agreement we have reached together will help us bring closer that goal and will pave the path towards peace in Ukraine. We expect that Kyiv and European capitals will perceive that constructively and they won't throw a wrench in the works. They will not make any attempts to use some back-room dealings to conduct provocations to torpedo the progress."

Trump's remarks were much shorter, but he left the door open for future talks, telling Putin, "Would probably see you again very soon." Putin then proposed their next meeting take place in Moscow, an offer Trump called "interesting" and said he would consider.

The press conference ended with the leaders shaking hands and exiting together, a visible sign of cordiality. While no concrete outcomes were announced, Putin described the war in Ukraine as a "tragedy" and said he was "sincerely interested" in finding a resolution. He called the summit the "starting point of resolution."

Trump echoed the sentiment of possibility, stating that they had found "many points of agreement" and expressed confidence in the chances of progress, while also reiterating that "there is no deal until there is a deal." He announced he would brief NATO allies and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the discussions.