President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin concluded a “very productive” summit focused on resolving the war in Ukraine, yet the next steps remain uncertain.
During a joint press conference, Putin characterized the meeting as taking place in “a constructive atmosphere of mutual respect.” He mentioned that they had reached an “accord,” but offered little in the way of specifics and did not take questions from reporters.
Trump indicated that if Putin fails to agree to a ceasefire during their discussions, he “will not be happy.”
The summit ended after just three hours, which was significantly shorter than the originally expected timeframe. Putin expressed that the agreement serves as both a starting point for a potential resolution in Ukraine and a way to restore business relations between Russia and the US.
While describing Ukraine as a “brother country,” Putin emphasized that the “major roots” of the conflict must be addressed and removed. Trump echoed sentiments of productivity from the summit, mentioning several points of agreement, but also refrained from providing details on the specifics.
Despite the progress, Trump stated he is “not there yet” regarding advancing the peace deal. He mentioned there were various points of agreement but emphasized, “There will be no transactions until there is a transaction.”
He plans to reach out to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and NATO leaders to share the insights from his discussions with Putin. Trump has also expressed a desire for a meeting between Zelensky and Putin, but it’s unclear if any steps have been taken toward making that happen.
