U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin met face-to-face in Anchorage, Alaska, marking the first such encounter since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The three-hour-long talks produced no ceasefire declaration, though both leaders claimed “some progress” on pathways to resolving the war.

Trump reiterated that the conflict “must end,” while Putin said initial agreements could serve as a foundation for restoring “practical relations” between Washington and Moscow. However, Putin repeated his long-held stance that lasting peace is impossible without addressing what he calls the “root causes” of the conflict. He also insisted Ukraine’s security concerns were recognized, but offered no concrete details.

Notably absent from the table was Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Speaking afterwards, he stressed that Ukraine continues to rely on U.S. support, but argued that any genuine step toward peace must come from Russia. Zelensky made clear that Ukraine would “never cede” its territories under any circumstances.

During the meeting, air raid alerts were reported in several parts of eastern Ukraine, while Ukrainian drone strikes targeted Russia’s Rostov and Bryansk regions. Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský praised Trump’s initiative but questioned Putin’s sincerity, saying that if Moscow truly sought peace, it would have halted its attacks immediately.

Also present at the talks were U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, and Kremlin adviser Yuri Yushkov. For Putin—wanted by the International Criminal Court over the forced deportation of Ukrainian children—the summit represented a symbolic return to the global stage despite Western efforts to isolate him. For Trump, it was an opportunity to cast himself as a peace broker with global stature.

Yet, as fighting continued on the ground, doubts deepened over whether the Alaska meeting offered a step toward genuine peace or simply a new round of political maneuvering.