Ukraine War: US Russia summit started-Trump and Putin in a car

The American-Russian summit of President Donald Trump and Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin, who followed the world with hope and concern, has started in Alaska about the future of Ukraine. Trump and Putin greeted themselves on a red carpet after their landing at a military airfield in Anchorage and with a long handshake.

After a photo on a small stage, both surprisingly climbed into Trump’s car and drove together to the conference location. There they first sat together with their delegations at a reception in front of press representatives. They did not answer any questions from the reporter to a possible ceasefire. The heads of state sat in front of a blue wall with the inscription “Pursuing Peace” (“strive for peace”).

No more individual interview planned

A first planned one -on -one interview by Trump and Putin was replaced by negotiations shortly before the meeting: the White House announced that Foreign Minister Marco Rubio and the special -sentenced Steve Witkoff would take part in the negotiations on Trump’s side. The bigger round could have the goal that Trump, unlike in a one -on -one interview with Putin, disregarded non -durable commitments and cannot be taken from him.

Before the meeting, the US President had emphasized that no agreements about Ukraine without being included in Kiev and penetrated again on an immediate ceasefire. He wanted to bring Putin to the negotiating table to end the war, says Trump. Both men have great respect for each other, emphasized the US President.

Impulse for the end of the war or sale of Ukraine?

The meeting, which takes place at a military base in the big city of Anchorage and falls into the German evening, could give impulses for a possible end of the war. But in Ukraine and European allies, it is mainly followed, also because of its own absence. It is feared that Trump and Putin could communicate to Russia on area ability from Ukraine without involving Kiev. Ukraine strictly rejects territories. It is also possible that the meeting ends largely without success.

Trump said in front of reporters in Air Force One that he would talk to Putin about the “exchange” of areas in Ukraine, but no decisions: “I have to make Ukraine make the decision, and I think she will make a reasonable decision. But I am not here to negotiate for Ukraine.” The Ukraine, Europeans and Trump are calling for a comprehensive ceasefire. So far, attackers Russia has not been deprived of maximum demands in the war.

The country that is about it is missing – success for Putin

The Ukrainian head of state Wolodymyr Selenskyj, who has to follow the meeting remotely, expressed hope for an soon -to -be meeting with Trump and Putin. Meanwhile, supporters of Kiev protested in Anchorage against Putin’s visit to the United States. According to previous information, Russia wants to have the Ukrainian areas of Donetsk and Luhansk, which are largely occupied – and in return, could potentially be ready to withdraw from other occupied areas.

With the invitation to the USA, Trump gets Kremlin chief Putin a clear piece further from the isolation of the West. Trump called him a “clever guy” in front of the summit. In recent years, the US President had repeatedly appreciated and respectfully to Putin, who increasingly ruled Russia with a hard hand. After meeting in his first term, Trump had repeatedly taken over positions from Putin.

In the past few weeks, however, he had repeatedly expressed frustration about Putin and questioned his willingness for peace negotiations. On the way to Alaska, Trump also emphasized Russia’s economic interest in the United States. However, there will be no collaboration without peace in Ukraine. If Putin does not want a deal, serious economic consequences threatened. Most recently, the United States had put pressure on Russian trading partners with threatened punitive tariffs.

Europeans want ceasefire first

On the initiative of Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU), the European allies of Ukraine tried to find a common line with the USA in the days before the summit. One of the demands from Europe, which Merz had listed in advance, is that Ukraine had to sit at the table at a follow -up meeting. A ceasefire is necessary before the start of negotiations. When talking about territorial questions, the current front course must be the starting point, it said. Merz excluded international recognition of Russian conquests.

In addition, Ukraine needs security guarantees and must keep a strong army. On the trip to Anchorage, the US President was open to security guarantees, which would have to be persecuted together with the European countries. But it is unclear how these should look.

The US President relies on a potential second meeting and represents the current as a kind of preliminary stage. Putin and Selenskyj should then come together from the perspective of the US side. “The second meeting will be very, very important – because that will be the meeting where you make a deal,” said Trump.

Putin recently praised the US government. She undertakes “quite energetic and sincere efforts” in order to end the battles in Ukraine and to come to agreements that are in the interest of all pages involved. Nevertheless, he had repeatedly provided hard conditions for a ceasefire – including the stop of western arms deliveries to Ukraine. Russia was marched to Ukraine in February 2022.