With fighter jets roaring overhead and a red carpet rolled out at Elmendorf Air Force Base, former President Donald Trump welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday for a high-stakes summit that aimed to pave the way toward peace in Ukraine.

For nearly three hours, the two leaders spoke behind closed doors. When they emerged, both struck an optimistic tone, but stopped short of announcing any concrete agreements.

Trump rated the summit a “10 out of 10” and said the talks made “very good progress,” though he cautioned that “there’s no deal until there’s a deal.” Speaking exclusively to Fox News’ Sean Hannity afterward, Trump described the meeting as “very warm” and insisted the United States and Russia are “pretty close to a deal” on Ukraine:

You know, Putin is tough as hell, strong, but it was a very warm meeting. We’re close, but Ukraine has to agree to it.

Putin echoed the sentiment, calling the talks “constructive” and conducted in an atmosphere of mutual respect. Such phrasing, while vague, is notable coming from leaders who until recently have been circling each other through the prism of war, sanctions, and mutual recrimination.

The symbolism of the meeting cannot be overstated. For Vladimir Putin, walking down a U.S. red carpet after years of isolation was a diplomatic victory in itself. For Donald Trump, hosting his Russian counterpart on U.S. soil, in Alaska, a location rich in symbolism given its history and geography, was a gamble that a personal rapport might edge the war in Ukraine closer to a negotiated settlement.

ANCHORAGE, ALASKA – AUGUST 15: U.S. President Donald Trump (R) and Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) hold a meeting at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson on August 15, 2025 in Anchorage, Alaska. ( Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

Critics will argue, with reason, that symbolism is not substance. Even as the two presidents shook hands in Anchorage, air-raid sirens sounded in Ukraine, reminding the world that war continues unabated. And yet, for the first time in months, both leaders publicly acknowledged they are closer to a peace framework than before. That may not be enough for families grieving in Kyiv or Kharkiv, but in the long arc of diplomacy, conversations often precede change.

Sure, the leaders stopped short of laying out details on the negotiating table, but Trump suggested that territorial concessions and U.S. security guarantees for Ukraine were part of the discussions. He also said thousands of prisoners could be released as part of a future agreement.

“I want to save a lot of lives,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One. “We made headway. There are a couple of big points still left, but I think we’re going to get there.”

Trump signaled he is ready to be directly involved in the next phase of negotiations, telling Hannity that both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy want him present at a potential trilateral peace meeting.

“They both want me there, and I’ll be there,” Trump said. “But ultimately, Zelenskyy has to make a deal.”

For now, though, there is no ceasefire, and no signed agreement. Trump insists the U.S. is “closer than ever” to peace, but the road ahead will depend not just on Moscow and Washington, but on Kyiv.

The Alaska summit will not be remembered for its agreements, because there were none. It may, however, be remembered as a hinge moment, when two leaders, long divided by war, sanctions, and mistrust, chose dialogue over silence. The road ahead remains perilous, filled with obstacles, and shadowed by skepticism. Yet as imperfect as the outcome was, the fact remains: the conversation has begun, and where dialogue continues, there is at least the possibility of peace.

By I. Constantin