Former national security adviser John Bolton provided his insights on a recent meeting between President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, which lasted around three hours. He reiterated his belief that while Trump didn’t necessarily lose, it was clear that Putin emerged victorious from the discussions.
During an appearance on CNN’s “OutFront” with Erin Burnett, Bolton remarked, “Trump left nothing except for more meetings,” emphasizing that Putin has made significant strides in reestablishing diplomatic ties. He also pointed out that the Russian leader has sidestepped sanctions and that there is no ceasefire on the horizon, with no additional meetings scheduled.
Prior to their private discussions in Anchorage, Alaska, Bolton had predicted that Putin would walk away with the upper hand. He noted that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also characterized the meeting as merely a “technique” and contended that any ceasefire agreements would require trilateral participation to be effective.
Bolton mentioned, “Zelensky didn’t discuss this prior to the press conference. It’s not over,” suggesting that Putin likely accomplished most of his objectives while Trump remained with little to show for it.
He further observed that Trump appeared quite fatigued during the summit, saying, “I mean, he’s very tired.” Bolton reflected on what this might indicate about the situation.
After the meeting, Trump described it as “very productive,” but acknowledged that it wouldn’t conclude with a ceasefire agreement. He urged NATO and European leaders to engage directly with Putin in future discussions.
The president emphasized that the ultimate decision lies with Kiev and Moscow in finalizing any agreements: “It’s a terrible war that both are losing so much, and it’s going to be a great achievement for them; forget about me.”
He also called for European nations to take a more active role, stating, “If they want, I’ll be in that next meeting. They’re going to set up a meeting now… It’s not that I want to be there, but I want it to accomplish something.”
In a related development, Trump and Zelensky are slated to meet at the White House on Monday.
