Trump and Zelensky to Meet: No Ceasefire Deal After Putin Meeting

Trump and Putin's meeting did not lead to a ceasefire in Ukraine. According to experts, Putin emerged as the winner after the talks.

The meeting between Russia's President Vladimir Putin and the U.S. President Donald Trump began at 9 PM Swedish time on Friday at a military base in Anchorage, Alaska.

Trump clapped his hands before meeting Putin with a smile on a red carpet rolled out in front of their respective planes.

The meeting lasted nearly three hours.

Afterwards, Trump and Putin held a brief press conference.

Putin spoke for ten minutes and Trump for three. Both leaders thanked each other but had no clear announcements regarding a ceasefire agreement in Ukraine. The word ceasefire was not used at all.

– We are not quite there yet, says Trump.

During the press conference, Trump also mentioned that he will "probably" meet Putin again very soon. The Russian president was quick to suggest a location.

– Next time in Moscow, replied Putin.

They then left the podium without answering any questions from journalists.

Trump: Agreement on Land Swaps

After the press conference, Donald Trump gave his first interview to the conservative TV channel Fox News. The president stated that they had agreed on several details regarding land swaps and security guarantees in Ukraine, but without specifying what and how.

Now Trump believes it is up to Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky to reach an agreement with Russia.

– Make a deal. Russia is a great military power, Ukraine is not. They are fighting against a war machine, said Trump in the interview with Fox News' Sean Hannity.

Zelensky: To Meet Trump on Monday

Trump has been clear that after the meeting with Putin, he would talk to Zelensky to inform him of what was discussed.

That call has now been made.

Zelensky and Trump talked for an hour, writes Zelensky on X. He describes the conversation with the American president as long and substantial.

After that hour, several European leaders joined the conversation, which then continued for another half hour, according to Zelensky.

Already on Monday, Zelensky will travel to Washington DC to meet Trump, he further writes.

"On Monday, I will meet President Trump in Washington, D.C., to discuss all the details on how to end the killing and the war. I am grateful for the invitation."

He also opens up for a meeting between Ukraine, Russia, and the USA.

"We support President Trump's proposal for a trilateral meeting between Ukraine, the USA, and Russia. Ukraine emphasizes that important issues can be discussed at the leadership level, and a trilateral format is suitable for this."

"Putin Won – Overwhelmingly"

The seemingly fruitless meeting made Putin appear as the one who benefited from the meeting being held at all, according to several experts.

– He has avoided new sanctions, he is not facing sanctions, and the next meeting is not set. He won the meeting, overwhelmingly, says John Bolton, Trump's former national security advisor on CNN.

The Swedish Russia expert Inga Näslund agrees.

– Putin has been able to show himself strong and successful in his relationship with the USA. He got to talk about things that are important to him, and it was very clear that what he said was aimed at the Russian audience, she says.

Sweden's Comment

Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard (M) comments on Saturday morning after the night's meeting in Anchorage.

In a comment to Expressen, she writes:

"I note the reports from Alaska. The government will now engage in close dialogue with Ukraine and with European and transatlantic partners on the way forward. It is clear that pressure on Russia must increase to end the war and lay the foundation for a just and sustainable peace based on international law. Sweden's military, political, and civilian support for Ukraine is unwavering."

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