NEW DELHI: US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin said they had made progress in nearly three hours of talks aimed at moving closer to finding an end to the Ukraine war, though no immediate ceasefire was announced. Trump described the discussions as “very productive, ” but admitted that no final agreement was reached during the summit held in Anchorage, Alaska.
Arik Burakovsky, Associate Director of the Russia and Eurasia Programme at The Fletcher School, Tufts University, spoke exclusively to IANS on Saturday about the meeting and its implications.
He underlined the symbolic importance of the event, noting that this was the first time in a decade that Putin had stepped on American soil. According to him, the visit could signal a tentative reset in US-Russia relations, even if deep mistrust remains.
Below are excerpts from the interview:
IANS: Given the statements by both leaders, what is your immediate takeaway?
Burakovsky: It seemed to me that both Trump and Putin wanted to project a positive impression of the meeting, and both appeared satisfied with how it went. Even from the very beginning, when Trump welcomed Putin on the tarmac, there was warmth in their handshake.
Trump quite literally rolled out the red carpet for Putin. Both leaders clearly enjoy the showmanship and the pageantry, but the real question is whether any substantive progress was made behind the scenes.
They did mention that some issues remained unresolved, which is not surprising. In international negotiations, nothing is considered agreed upon until everything is agreed upon. So, it is not shocking that no major breakthroughs emerged from the meeting. I think the focus now will shift toward holding broader talks that include Ukraine and European partners.
The main sticking point seems to be the Ukrainian territories currently under Russian control. Ukraine has certain non-negotiable demands, and it is unlikely to soften them.