US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin shake hands in Anchorage, Alaska, on August 15, 2025.
U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin held face-to-face talks in Anchorage, Alaska, on Friday, their first meeting since 2019 and the first visit by a Russian president to U.S. soil in nearly a decade.
The nearly three-hour meeting at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson was marked by a red-carpet welcome, an honor guard, and Trump personally applauding Putin's arrival.
No agreements were signed, but both sides spoke positively.
"There's no deal until there's a deal," the U.S. president said, after Putin claimed they had reached an "understanding" on Ukraine and warned Europe not to "torpedo the nascent progress."
Trump added that he would call Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders to brief them on the talks.
"The lack of a deal shows differences remain, especially on key issues," Zhang Hong, expert on Russian issues at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences explained.
But consensus between Washington and Moscow alone is not enough—any ceasefire will still need recognition from both Europe and Ukraine.
"We can see the hardline stance from Europe and Ukraine, which left Trump with limited room to maneuver when meeting Putin," Zhang observed.
However, analysts are seeing the positive side.
"It stabilized the relationship between the U.S. and Russia," Zhang said. "The face-to-face meeting allows direct exchanges, which helps enhance mutual strategic trust and avoid misjudgments in security."
At the press conference, Putin said he had established a very good direct channel with Trump, noting Trump's willingness to understand the nature of the conflict. Putin stressed that Russia sincerely hopes to see an end to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Trump expressed hope that future U.S.-Russia meetings would be constructive and productive. Putin responded by suggesting the next meeting could take place in Moscow.
Zhang believes this ending leaves the story open.
"If Trump does visit Russia, it would be highly awkward for Ukraine and Europe," he noted. "This would mark a major breakthrough for Putin in breaking Western diplomatic containment and isolation."
Zhang also said that while the meeting did not produce a formal agreement, both sides expressed a willingness to continue communication—something he considers a significant step forward in U.S.-Russia relations.
According to Xinhua News Agency, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that he will meet U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington on Monday.
Reporter: Xie Hongzhou
Photo: CFP
Editor: Yuan Zixiang, James Campion, Shen He
