Putin–Trump meeting is a diplomatic step toward easing international tensions, analyst says

“As for the outcome of the Putin–Trump meeting in Alaska, it was essentially a long-awaited attempt to move toward ending the conflict in Ukraine,” he said.

First, many wondered whether another meeting with the US president would even take place, especially since Trump had promised during his campaign to quickly end the conflict in Ukraine. But no concrete agreement was reached. The talks were held in a bilateral format without the European Union, which means they served the interests of both Moscow and Washington. For Putin, who is already isolated, direct dialogue with the US president is in itself a diplomatic win, even if a short-lived one.

Second, for the United States it was a point in Trump’s favor, showing that he pushed Putin to the negotiating table before both his voters and the international community, he added.

The expert noted that the talks lasted nearly three hours behind closed doors.

We know that before the meeting Trump issued a tough warning meant to push Moscow toward compromise. He later suggested a possible strengthening of sanctions and even said this could have serious consequences for Russia. Still, the format of the talks left unclear to what extent Ukraine’s interests were taken into account. The only public outcome was a statement that the two sides had reached an understanding.

In my view, the talks were not really concluded. They should be seen as a prelude to further discussions involving Ukraine and Western countries. Everything will depend on whether Trump and Zelenskyy can reach a common agreement and whether Kyiv accepts the conditions put forward by Washington,” he said.

Kazbek Maigeldinov did not rule out the possibility of a future three-way meeting.

If such a step is taken, then we can speak of progress from yesterday’s talks. Earlier, the White House imposed tariff sanctions on India and China for their indirect role in the conflict. Now, after the dialogue in Alaska, there is unofficial information that Trump may temporarily ease economic pressure on China and revisit the issue. This move by Washington toward Moscow can be seen as a sign of compromise. If Russia does agree to a peace deal, the United States will not tighten sanctions. In this sense, the gesture toward China suggests it could later be applied to Russia as well.

The main contradiction is that Ukraine was not invited to the negotiations. Moreover, on the key issues of ending the conflict and securing a ceasefire there was no common agreement, no document signed, and no timeline set. That is why we view the Putin–Trump meeting in Alaska only as a diplomatic step toward easing international tensions. The results, however, fell short of expectations,” the analyst noted.

Earlier it was reported on what the Anchorage talks achieved, according to expert Akimbekov.