In a high-stakes display of diplomacy , mixing ceremony with tense talks, US President Donald Trump said the Russia-Ukraine war can only end with a full Peace Agreement, dismissing a ceasefire as fragile and short-lived. His comments came after a carefully arranged summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, a late-night call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and discussions with European leaders and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte.

A Carefully Staged Summit in Alaska: Red Carpet, Bombers, and Bold Words

At Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, the scene was full of symbolism. Putin arrived under the shadow of an International Criminal Court warrant for alleged war crimes. A red carpet was laid out, and Trump greeted him warmly. The moment was marked by the roar of a B-2 stealth bomber overhead, a clear display of American power.

The two leaders posed for photos before entering Trump’s armored car, “The Beast,” showing a united front for the cameras. Expectations were high, with the Kremlin suggesting the meeting might last six or seven hours. Instead, after less than three hours, Trump and Putin emerged with only a brief joint statement—and no concrete agreement.

Trump was optimistic, calling the talks “very well” conducted, while Putin stuck to his usual position that Ukraine must give up control of the four partly occupied regions—Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia—and drop its NATO ambitions. Kyiv rejects these demands outright.