The 2025 Russia–United States Summit (also known as the Alaska 2025 or the Trump–Putin Summit in Alaska) was a summit meeting between United States president Donald Trump and Russian president Vladimir Putin. It was held on August 15, 2025, at Joint Base Elmendorf–Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska.[1] The main topic of discussion was the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian War.[2][3] The summit ended without an agreement being announced, although Trump later intimated that in his view the onus was now on Ukraine to cede territory in order to end the war.[4]
In February 2022, Putin ordered the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, starting the deadliest war in Europe since World War II. During the 2024 presidential election, then-presidential candidate Donald Trump campaigned with a promise to end the war on his first day in office.[12] Trump became president in January 2025.[13] On February 12, 2025, he held a surprise phone call with Putin which led to negotiations between Russia and the U.S. for the first time since the invasion.[14]
Later that month, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Saudi Arabia to discuss improving Russia–United States relations and plans to end the war in Ukraine.[15] The meeting laid the groundwork for a future meeting between Putin and Trump, with Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov saying the meeting could take place before the end of February, though this did not end up happening.[16][17] Over the following months, Trump continued to communicate with Putin through phone calls and Truth Social posts.[18][19]
Trump repeatedly threatened to impose further sanctions on Russia if it did not stop attacking Ukraine. Putin repeatedly ignored the warnings, and Trump did not follow through on them.[20][21]
On May 8, Trump warned that the U.S. would impose further sanctions on Russia if it did not agree to a 30-day unconditional ceasefire.[22] Russia rejected the ceasefire and continued to attack Ukraine.[23]
Presidents Putin of Russia and Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine were due to hold direct negotiations in Istanbul on May 15, and Trump suggested he would also be there. However, Putin did not attend. Trump excused Putin's absence, saying he believes the only reason Putin did not attend was because he was not there, and said peace talks are only possible if he and Putin meet.[21]
On May 28, Trump said he would know within two weeks whether Putin was serious about ending the war or was just "tapping us along".[24][2] In May, June and July, Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukraine increased dramatically.[25] Trump told reporters on July 23: "I go home, I tell the first lady: 'You know, I spoke to Vladimir today. We had a wonderful conversation.' And she said: 'Oh really? Another [Ukrainian] city was just hit.'"[26] After Trump warned of sanctions and criticized Putin on Truth Social, the Kremlin described his posts as "emotional".[27]
On July 14, Trump announced that the U.S. would impose more sanctions on Russia and 100% tariffs on countries that buy Russian oil if Putin did not agree to end the war within 50 days.[28] On July 28, Trump announced that the deadline would be shortened to 10 or 12 days, citing a lack of progress.[29] U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff met with Putin in Moscow on August 6, two days before the deadline.[30] Following the meeting, Trump said there was a "good chance" that a meeting with Putin would take place "very soon."[31] When Trump's deadline arrived on August 8, instead of imposing sanctions, Trump announced that he would host Putin in Alaska on August 15.[32]
Shortly before the Alaska meeting, Trump warned that there would be "severe consequences" for Russia if Putin did not agree to a ceasefire.[33]
On July 31, 2025, former Russian President and Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of RussiaDmitry Medvedev made a Telegram post warning President Trump of a "Dead Hand" threat, referencing the Soviet automatic nuclear launch mechanism. On August 1, President Trump announced the movement of two "Nuclear Submarines" toward Russia in response to the threat.[36]
President Trump had said on August 7, 2025, that it was not necessary for Putin to meet with Volodymyr Zelenskyy, president of Ukraine.[39] He also said that both sides would have to make concessions. A Kremlin source stated that Russia could halt the war if they received eastern Ukraine.[40]
On August 14, Ushakov announced that on the Russian side, the delegation will include himself, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Defence Minister Andrey Belousov, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov, and Special Presidential Envoy on Foreign Investment and Economic Cooperation Kirill Dmitriev.[43]
Ahead of the summit Putin suggested negotiations could cover nuclear weapons treaties, such as the renewal of New START which expires in February 2026.[44][45]
Several hundred people held a pro-Ukraine rally.[46][47] Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov notably arrived at his hotel wearing a white СССР (USSR) sweatshirt underneath his cold weather vest; the move was described by The Guardian as a "not-so-subtle act of trolling".[48][49]
President Putin landed at the Air Base at 10:55a.m. local time.[50] Both men exited their planes at approximately 11:08a.m., shook hands on the red carpet and posed on the ALASKA 2025 platform for a picture before shaking hands again and entering the presidential state car for transport to the meeting location.[50] As the two stood on the platform, United States Air ForceF-22 fighters or F-35 fighters and a B-2 bombers flew overhead.[50]Russia 24 reported that President Trump invited Putin to join him in the car, with Putin eschewing his planned Aurus limo.[50]
Meeting
Trump's meeting with Putin
The meeting began at approximately 11:32a.m.[50] and concluded at approximately 2:18p.m.[50] A press briefing by the two leaders began at approximately 2:58.[50]
During the meeting Putin went on a history lecture about Ukraine and Russia being "one nation," which caused Trump to raise his voice and threaten to walk out. Trump later proposed lifting sanctions against Russia for a ceasefire, but this was rejected by Putin, who insisted on Ukraine ceding territory in the Donbas region. Trump cancelled the working lunch, during which the delegations were supposed to discuss economic cooperation.[52] The Financial Times reported that Putin lectured Trump on medieval and early modern Eastern European history, talking about the Viking chieftain Rurik, Grand Prince Yaroslav the Wise and Cossack leader Bohdan Khmelnytsky.[53]
Trump gave a ceremonial gift to Putin of an "American Bald Eagle Desk Statue".[54] A planned working lunch was cancelled.[54]
Press briefing
Putin began the presser by acknowledging that Russia–United States relations have suffered in recent years and that a meeting between the two nations was long overdue.[50] Putin noted that negotiations were held in a "respectful, constructive and mutually respectful atmosphere".[50] Trump began his remarks immediately afterwards saying he had "always had a fantastic relationship with President (Vladimir) Putin" but that it had been impeded by the "Russia hoax".[50] Putin also noted his agreement with Trump that the security of Ukraine must be ensured.[50] No substantial change in the status quo was announced, however, and neither Trump nor Putin took any questions from the world press.[50]
Putin and Trump addressing the media
Putin and Trump after the press briefing
Aftermath
Pro-Ukrainian demonstrators at the White House prior to the summit between Trump and Zelenskyy later that dayTrump and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office, August 18, 2025EU, NATO members and Zelenskyy in Washington D.C., August 18, 2025
Following the meeting, Trump and Rubio downplayed the chances of increasing sanctions on Russia.[55] On August 17, Trump said that responsibility for peace fell on Zelenskyy, while saying that Ukraine should not regain Crimea or join NATO.[56] On August 18 numerous European leaders arrived at the White House for what the BBC said amounted to a wartime summit.[57]
A summit between Trump and Zelenskyy at the White House was held on August 18. Prior to this summit, EU leaders met with Zelenskyy at the Ukrainian embassy in Washington, D.C.[58]
Steve Witkoff said that Putin agreed that the US could provide NATO-like protection to Ukraine. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy welcomed the United States' pledge to provide security guarantees to Ukraine.[59] Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov demanded that Russia be included in any future security guarantee, which the Financial Times said would give it an effective veto over defence of Ukraine.[60]
During the meeting, Putin reportedly offered to end the war if Ukraine ceded all of Donbas to Russia, but Zelenskyy rejected territorial concessions.[59]
In August 2025, U.S.-Russia relations showed signs of renewal after Presidents Trump and Putin met in Alaska and voiced interest in economic cooperation. According to a The Wall Street Journal report, ExxonMobil and Rosneft held "secret talks" to restart joint operations at Sakhalin-1, tied to Ukraine peace talks. Exxon CEO Darren Woods held direct talks with Trump at the White House and received a "sympathetic hearing" regarding the company's return to Russia.[61]
In September 2025, Trump changed his position and took a more pro-Ukrainian stance.[62][63][64]
In October 2025 Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia Sergey Ryabkov said that "The powerful momentum of Anchorage [summit] in favor of agreements has been largely exhausted by the efforts of opponents and the efforts of supporters of the "war to the last Ukrainian" [strategy] among Europeans." de facto stating the failure of negotiations.[65]
Analysis
Trump's minimum expectation of a temporary cease-fire was not achieved[66] ("We didn't get there"),[67] whereas Putin had regained his stature on the world stage,[68][69] with The Guardian describing the summit as a gift for Putin.[70] According to The Atlantic: "That the summit happened at all was perceived by many as a victory for Putin, who, after years as an international pariah, was granted a photo with a U.S. president on American soil... And he was greeted in an over-the-top, stage-managed welcome that involved a literal red carpet for a man accused of war crimes."[71]
The diplomatic journalist Steven Erlanger of The New York Times deemed that while European fears had not come to pass, its strategic position was no better.[72] Trump was notably vague and subdued after the summit,[73] not specifically mentioning Ukraine or a ceasefire even once (the putative reasons for the summit), and in marked contrast with Putin did not speak at length.[74] According to The Economist, the summit's most obvious development was Trump's pivot, from threatening Russia with "crippling sanctions" if the summit didn't yield a ceasefire, to accepting Russian demands for a full end to the war.[75] According to The Wall Street Journal, "[Putin] ended his isolation in the West, made no public concessions, and can continue killing Ukrainians without further sanction."[76]
The Financial Times called the summit an "embarrassing failure" for Trump, and said that by not rejecting Putin's demand for Ukraine to cede further territory in Donetsk, Trump would leave Ukraine exposed to further Russian aggression. In their view, the two possible explanations for Trump's actions are either that "his mind is simply shaped by the last conversation he has had", or that Trump has always been sympathetic to Russia's ambition for territorial conquest; namely, "a world in which the strong triumph over the weak".[77]
John Bolton, a former Trump national security advisor, told The Atlantic that he thought "Trump did not lose, but Putin clearly won. Putin got everything he could have wished for, but he’s not home free yet".[71]
Chinese analysts have said that China would likely face "increasing" geopolitical pressure if the United States and Europe provide NATO-style security guarantees to Ukraine.[78]
Delegations
United States delegation
On August 15, the United States announced their list of delegates:[79][80]
↑ "Instead of sanctions, Donald Trump announces a summit with Russia". The Economist. August 9, 2025. Archived from the original on August 9, 2025. Retrieved August 13, 2025. Donald trump had billed August 8th as deadline day for Vladimir Putin: stop fighting or face crippling sanctions. But as the day wore on, it seemed the ultimatum had come and gone without event. Then, around 6pm, the White House announced there would be a summit between Mr Trump and Mr Putin on August 15th in Alaska. Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine's president, apparently will not attend.
↑ "Fear of a new Oval Office fiasco over Ukraine". The Economist. August 17, 2025. Retrieved August 18, 2025. The most obvious change is the new acceptance of Russia's preferred sequencing. Gone is any prospect of a full ceasefire as a first stage, or of the crippling sanctions once promised by Mr Trump if Mr Putin would not agree to one... Trump, abruptly siding with Mr Putin, now says the immediate goal must be a comprehensive peace.
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