Trump, Putin and no deal for Ukraine: The view from our correspondents

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1 day ago

August 16, 2025

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All eyes were on Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin as they met for the first time in more than six years, the Russian president visiting the US for high-stakes talks anticipated beforehand to potentially shape the war in Ukraine.

The two leaders greeted each other with a handshake after stepping off their planes at the Elmendorf-Richardson military base in Anchorage, Alaska – and a smiling Trump even applauded Putin as he approached him on a red carpet that had been laid out.

Trump-Putin summit – latest updates

Following the talks, both leaders described the summit as productive but said no deal had been reached – and the word ceasefire was not mentioned by either.

They did not take questions from reporters – leaving perhaps even more than before the talks started.

Here is the view from our correspondents on what the summit means for Ukraine, Putin and Trump.

‘The first question: what’s the most significant stumbling block?’

Had they mentioned a ceasefire today, it would have changed the nature of the discussion, says US correspondent James Matthews. We appear to be well short of that, I think.

Putin’s statement about the fundamental causes – to make this settlement lasting and long term, we need to eliminate the primary cause to consider all legitimate concerns of Russia. That’s been Russia’s starting point and it’s been the sticking point throughout this whole process.

For Putin to stand on that stage alongside Trump and have the confidence to articulate that tells me that that resonates with Trump, and Putin is welded to that as an ongoing position – a position which is unacceptable to Ukraine.

In terms of Trump, he was talking up the meeting, called it very productive. We haven’t quite got there, he said. There’s no deal until there’s a deal.

He spoke about how he was going to call NATO, Zelenskyy, and it was an extremely productive meeting, he said – accentuating the positive, but in there was the negative. He said there are many points that we agree to, but many points yet to be agreed – some not significant, one most significant.

Of course, the first question would have been, had they taken questions, well what’s the most significant stumbling block? And what are you going to do about it? Are you with him on that? And if you’re not, what are the consequences

So frankly, if both those men, both big beasts in this conflict, the two individuals most influential, if they are both welded to Russia’s headline ask, what Russia has wanted all along throughout this, then I have to say there will be pessimism around the prospect of taking this any further.

I’m not quite sure what the reaction is that Trump expects in Ukraine and in European capitals, but it might be a very difficult phone call. Elsewhere in that discussion or these two separate statements, we got a sense, I thought, of Putin the player, how he has succeeded in reeling in Donald Trump and engaging with him as an old friend – that’s how it very much appeared, the old friend that he’s invited back to Moscow.

‘A dictator riding alongside the most powerful man in the world’

Donald Trump landed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson with the aspiration of departing a few hours later hailed as a peacemaker and a deal broker, says US correspondent Martha Kelner.

Instead he goes back to Washington having let an international pariah back in from the cold and seemingly received precious little in return.

If Putin pitched up on the tarmac of many of the world’s airports, he could, in theory, be immediately handcuffed. This, after all, is a man wanted by the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes, including for the alleged abduction of Ukrainian children.

Instead, the red carpet was, quite literally, rolled out for him in Anchorage. A flypast was arranged, featuring F-35 fighter jets, the very planes that are regularly scrambled to intercept Russian aircraft operating off the coast of Alaska. Various military members lined up to salute him.

Then came the most surprising moment of all. Alongside Trump, Putin climbed in the Beast, the US president’s heavily armoured limousine. A dictator, who invaded a sovereign nation three-and-a-half years ago and has been in isolation ever since, riding alongside the most powerful man in the world on a US military base.

No wonder he was grinning in the back seat.

‘Putin spoke as if he was the host’

“It was one of the most unusual press conferences, that I’ve attended,” says Moscow correspondent Ivor Bennett, who travelled with the Russian delegation to Alaska. “And that says something because I’ve been to all of Vladimir Putin’s recent ones. And those are very unusual.

“First and foremost, they said they agreed on many points, but we don’t know what those are. We were told it would be a joint press conference, but it wasn’t. There were no questions. That must be the first and only time that Donald Trump has not taken any questions from the press. And that’s probably because Vladimir Putin made that a condition – he often does at press conferences.

“Donald Trump has said first he has to take what has been agreed to the Ukrainians, to NATO, to get sign off. But I thought what was really interesting was the fact that Vladimir Putin was the first person to speak at the press conference. It was as if he was the host rather than Donald Trump.

“And he said that he welcomed Donald Trump like a neighbour again, kind of cementing this idea that he was the one in charge here, he was the one calling the shots. And even though the banner behind him, the slogan, said ‘Pursuing Peace’, it felt like he was pursuing something else here. He was pursuing better bilateral relations with the United States, because that’s the first thing he talked about.

“He talked up the common shared history between these two countries. He talked about the need to repair bilateral relations because they’ve plunged to their lowest point since the Cold War. And there was lots of flattery for Donald Trump’s efforts to find peace.

“But we still don’t know what has been agreed here. Putin said the root causes of the conflict still need to be resolved. That suggests that all of Russia’s red lines still remain, that it doesn’t want NATO to expand any further east. It wants Ukraine to agree to permanent neutrality, wants limits on its armed forces. It basically sees Ukraine as a buffer state in between Russia and NATO. And that term ‘root cause’ suggests all of those demands still stand.

“So it doesn’t look like Vladimir Putin has made any concessions, despite Donald Trump claiming that many points have been agreed upon over there.”

‘Red carpet treatment sticks in the craw for Ukrainians’

Our international affairs editor Dominic Waghorn, in Kyiv, gauged the Ukrainian reaction to Putin’s arrival – and says people are furious at the red carpet welcome extended by the Trump team.

Images of US soldiers on their knees, unfurling the red carpet at the steps of the Russian leader’s plane, have been going viral, he reports.

Social media has been lit up with fury, anger, and disgust, he says. There are different ways of welcoming a world leader to this type of event, and Trump has gone all out to give a huge welcome to Putin, which is sticking in the craw of Ukrainians.

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Why is Zelenskyy bringing a posse of European leaders to the US for peace talks?

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5 hours ago

August 17, 2025

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Why is Zelenskyy bringing a posse of European leaders to the US for peace talks?

A posse of European leaders will join the meeting between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Washington.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she will join the talk “at the request of President Zelenskyy”, adding that she “and other European leaders” will be meeting at the White House on Monday.

Also set to join in are Sir Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, France’s Emmanuel Macron, Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and Finnish President Alexander Stubb.

Mr Stubb’s friendship with Mr Trump is said to have blossomed since the pair bonded over their love of golf during a tournament at Mar-a-Lago in March.

Follow the latest developments on the Ukraine war

Mr Stubb previously said that Mr Trump is “the only person who can broker a peace” deal, saying the US president was “the only one that Putin is afraid of”.

Bringing a gang of leaders along could be an attempt by Mr Zelenskyy to prevent a repeat of the infamous Oval Office showdown with Mr Trump and the vice-president, JD Vance, in February.

They were set to discuss a potential ceasefire with Russia and a mineral deal between Ukraine and the US, but their meeting descended into chaos when Mr Vance berated Ukraine’s leader for being insufficiently grateful for US help – in front of the media.

He completed his ambush of Mr Zelenskyy by mocking him for not wearing a suit, with Mr Trump adding that the Ukrainian didn’t “have the cards right now with us”.

The disastrous meeting ended with Mr Zelenskyy prematurely leaving the White House. He later said the bust-up was “not good for both sides”.

Analysis: Zelenskyy knows he risks another ambush

At the US-Russia summit on Friday, Mr Trump (quite literally) rolled out the red carpet for Mr Putin and even let the Russian leader take a ride with him in the presidential limousine dubbed The Beast.

Mr Zelenskyy is set for a less warm welcome, with no red carpet or fly past, no round of applause, according to Sky News’ US correspondent Martha Kelner.

The atmosphere may be more businesslike with European leaders like Mr Stubb in Mr Zelenskyy’s corner, and their inclusion as mediators could help prevent a repeat of the Oval Office clash.

Mr Stubb has repeatedly voiced support for Ukraine, and Finland, along with other Nordic countries and the three Baltic states, has been among the country’s staunchest supporters.

The 2022 invasion prompted Finland, which shares a 1,340-km (833-mile) border with Russia, to join NATO two years ago, upending decades of non-alignment.

Two days before the Alaska summit, Mr Zelenskyy, Mr Trump and European leaders, including Mr Stubb, were on a conference call, after which the Finnish leader wrote on X: “Excellent meeting with @Potus and European leaders, including @ZelenskyyUA. Aligned views and unity.

“We are working together for a ceasefire and a sustainable peace. We are there for Ukraine every step of the way. The next few days and weeks can be decisive.”

Whether any other European leaders will accompany Mr Zelenskyy will likely be confirmed late Sunday following a conference call between members of the “coalition of the willing”.

Retired French General Dominique Trinquand, a former head of France’s military mission at the United Nations, said European leaders were “very afraid of the Oval Office scene being repeated and so they want to support Mr Zelenskyy to the hilt”.

“It’s a power struggle and a position of strength that might work with Trump,” he added.

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Protesters go on strike in Israel demanding ceasefire and release of Gaza hostages

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8 hours ago

August 17, 2025

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Protesters go on strike in Israel demanding ceasefire and release of Gaza hostages

More than 30 people have been arrested in Israel for “disruption of order” as families of hostages held in Gaza step up their campaign with a nationwide strike.

Protestors are demanding the Israel government make a deal to secure the release of hostages held by militants in Gaza.

The campaign escalated on Sunday, with demonstrators staging a “day of stoppage” that blocked traffic and closed businesses.

Protesters gathered at dozens of points throughout Israel, including outside politicians’ homes, military headquarters and on major highways, where they were sprayed with water cannons as they blocked lanes and lit bonfires that cloaked roads in smoke.

Police said they had arrested 32 people as part of the nationwide demonstration – one of the fiercest since the uproar over six hostages found dead in Gaza last September.

The action comes weeks after militant groups released videos of hostages and Israel signalled plans for a new Gaza offensive.

Protesters fear further fighting could endanger the 50 hostages believed to remain in Gaza, only about 20 of whom are thought to be alive.

The demonstrators chanted: “We don’t win a war over the bodies of hostages.”

“Military pressure doesn’t bring hostages back – it only kills them,” former hostage Arbel Yehoud said at a demonstration in Tel Aviv’s Hostage Square.

“The only way to bring them back is through a deal, all at once, without games.”

Anat Angrest, mother of hostage Matan Angrest, added: “Today, we stop everything to save and bring back the hostages and soldiers.

“Today, we stop everything to remember the supreme value of the sanctity of life.

“Today, we stop everything to join hands – right, left, centre and everything in between.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has demanded the immediate release of the hostages but is haunted by the potential for mutiny within his coalition.

Far-right members of his cabinet insist they won’t support any deal that allows Hamas to retain power. The last time Israel agreed to a ceasefire that released hostages, they threatened to topple Mr Netanyahu’s government.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich branded the stoppage “a bad and harmful campaign that plays into Hamas’ hands, buries the hostages in the tunnels and attempts to get Israel to surrender to its enemies and jeopardise its security and future”.

Israel is currently preparing for an invasion of Gaza City and other populated parts of the besieged strip, aimed at destroying Hamas.

The military body that coordinates its humanitarian aid to Gaza said that the supply of tents to the territory would resume.

Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) said it would allow the United Nations to resume importing tents and shelter equipment into Gaza ahead of plans to forcibly evacuate people from combat zones “for their protection”.

Meanwhile in Gaza, the health ministry said two children died on Sunday due to malnutrition-related causes – reportedly bringing the total over the last 24 hours to seven.

Also on Sunday, Israeli airstrikes targeted a power plant in Yemen’s capital of Sanaa.

The action escalates strikes on Iran-backed Houthis, who since the war began have fired missiles at Israel and targeted ships in the Red Sea.

Israel’s military said the strikes targeted energy infrastructure it claimed was being used by the Houthis, and were launched in response to missiles and drones aimed at Israel.

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Zelenskyy knows he risks another Oval Office ambush – but has to be a willing participant in peace talks

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8 hours ago

August 17, 2025

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Zelenskyy knows he risks another Oval Office ambush - but has to be a willing participant in peace talks

There will be no red carpet or fly past, no round of applause when Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrives in Washington DC on Monday.

But the bitter memory of his last visit to the White House will feature prominently in the Ukrainian president’s thoughts.

In February, he was mocked for not wearing a suit and told he didn’t “have the cards” by US President Donald Trump, before being walked off the premises early, like an unruly patron being thrown out of the bar.

Zelenskyy knows he is risking another ambush in the Oval Office but has to present himself as a willing participant in peace talks, out of fear of being painted as the obstacle to a resolution.

There was initially measured optimism in Kyiv after Trump’s summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, because it appeared that no deal had been cut between Washington and the Kremlin without Ukraine in the room, as had been feared.

But that restrained positivity quickly evaporated with the release of a statement by Trump the morning after the night before.

In the heady heights of a meeting with strongman Putin, he seemed to have abandoned the one key thing that European leaders had impressed upon him – that there had to be an unconditional ceasefire in Ukraine as an absolute starting point to a permanent resolution.

Trump had apparently reached the conclusion that no ceasefire was required. “The best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine… is to go directly to a peace agreement,” is how he put it on his Truth Social media account.

That sent shockwaves through Kyiv.

Many there and elsewhere believe Russia has no intention of stopping the war yet, and will use its military advantage on the battlefield to pressure Ukraine in drawn-out negotiations to give up more territory.

In the meantime, the slaughter of Ukrainians will continue.

It is the most dramatic of 180s from Trump, who before the meeting and after lobbying from European leaders had said he would not be happy if Putin failed to agree to a ceasefire, and even promised “severe consequences”.

Yet now reports suggest Trump is giving credence to the Russian position – in a phone call to Zelenskyy he laid out Putin’s proposal that Ukraine relinquishes even more territory, in return for an end to the war.

The Ukrainian president will have, no doubt, been distressed to see the pictures of Putin being greeted like a king on an American military base in Alaska. It is in direct contrast to how he was hosted on US soil.

In Trump’s orbit everything is a personality contest, and where he has very obvious deference to Putin, he has disdain for Zelenskyy. That makes the Ukrainian’s position very difficult.