If Vladimir Putin was hoping Donald Trump was still on his side against Ukraine, he left their summit very disappointed, Andrew Feinberg reports from Anchorage, Alaska

‘Putin achieved most of what he wanted and Trump achieved very little,’ the U.S. president’s former national security adviser John Bolton said

A nebulous amount of ‘progress’ has been made, and the two might meet again. But it’s pretty clear here that Trump got played in Alaska, writes Holly Baxter — and Putin got exactly what he came for

Putin humiliated Trump, agreed no ceasefire, and now the U.S. President has to sell that to his allies, Sam Kiley, World Affairs Editor, explains

The unsubstantiated argument is one Trump has repeated many times since he decided to run again last year

Putin and Trump emerged after closed-door talks in Anchorage, Alaska, stretched almost three hours

Donald Trump gave a somewhat awkward response to Vladimir Putin’s invite to Moscow following their meeting in Alaska.

Trump and Putin had several moments during the Alaska summit when they had the opportunity to be alone together

Leaders offer scant details about what is discussed during Anchorage talks

The Russian leader’s facial expression seems to have already stolen the show

The two leaders greeted one another like friends as they shook hands and patted each other’s backs in a historic moment in Alaska

Chaotic scenes unfolded as press shouted questions at US President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin with the world leaders meeting for crunch Ukraine peace talks.

‘I didn’t see the kneepads on that pic, so just deleted and reposted with a different pic,’ Piers Morgan tweeted after pulling the original post down

This is the historic moment US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin shake hands as the world leaders arrived in Alaska for crunch Ukraine peace talks.

On 15 August, Alaska’s Anchorage is hosting a meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, a Cold War–era military installation once used to counter the Soviet Union.

11:40 PM: Ukrainian social media burst with anger, fury, and dissapointment after Trump’s warm greeting to Putin and a red carpet welcome. 

“I CAN’T WATCH THIS NEWS!

The world has gone mad.
I want to get off this planet.

In what’s supposed to be a civilized world, shaking the hand of a bloody murderer is pure savagery!” one of the users told Euromaidan Press. 

"Red carpet". Ukrainian artist Oleh Shupliaк depicted meeting of US President Trump and Russian President Putin

Russia's war has killed 13,800 civilians, not counting victims in cities such as Mariupol, where thousands may have been killed in Russian attacks
Oleh Shupliaк pic.twitter.com/79vunGbjz7

— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) August 15, 2025

11:33 PM: The White House posted a photo of Trump and Putin on X. Their closed-door talks are set to last six hours — until 5 a.m. Kyiv time. Trump once vowed to “leave very quickly” if Putin wasn’t serious. Thirty minutes in, he’s still there.

11:00 PM: NBC News has compared Trump’s greetings of Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zerlen, calling the handshake with the Russian president “seemingly warm,” which “stands in stark contrast to the extraordinary White House clash between Trump and Zelenskyy in late February.”

“Trump and Vice President JD Vance chastised Zelenskyy inside the Oval Office, reprimanding the Ukrainian president for not showing enough gratitude to the US for its military assistance,” the report says. 

Kremlin footage shows the Putin–Trump meeting kicking off.

Foreign Minister Lavrov and presidential aide Ushakov flank Putin; US Secretary of State Rubio and special envoy Witkoff flank Trump.

Smiles and handshakes all around. pic.twitter.com/H546AHJikQ

— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) August 15, 2025

10:40 PM: Putin ignores a journalist’s question whether he intends to stop killings of Ukrainian civilians. 

According to the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission, July 2025 was the deadliest month for Ukraine since 2022, due to relentless Russian attacks that included 6,000 Shahed-type drones. Some 286 civilians were killed and 1,388 were injured, marking the highest civilian toll since May 2022. 

Presidents Trump and Putin arrive at Anchorage, Alaska, walk the red carpet together, and pose, smiling and relaxed, for some photos.

Journalist. President Putin will you stop killing civilians?

Putin pretends he doesn't hear.https://t.co/J3rW0h0Q0X pic.twitter.com/9OivG6YlIr

— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) August 15, 2025

10:30 PM: When asked by Russian state media if he anticipated US sanctions easing after the Trump–Putin summit in Alaska, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov expressed confidence.

“They will certainly be lifted for some, that’s clear,” Lavrov told the state news agency RIA Novosti.

In the lead-up to Friday’s summit, the US Treasury Department issued a license temporarily suspending certain sanctions on Russia until 20 August.

10:10 PM: Trump and Putin met next to their planes. 

10:00 PM: Trump and Putin will hold talks in “three on three”. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Putin’s aide Yuri Ushakov will join the Russian president’s the negotiations with Trump. Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff will meet with Kremlin’s team from the American side, CNN reports. 

9:50 PM: US President Donald Trump landed at the Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska. Russian ruler Vladimir Putin also arrived at the base, around 30 minutes after Trump, according to Sky News. 

Editorial: As the Trump-Putin summit takes place in Alaska, the prospects for a lasting settlement in Ukraine are, at best, only at the ‘end of the beginning’ stage

Vladimir Putin’s envoy Kirill Dmitriev met a bear in Alaska ahead of upcoming crunch talks on ending the Russia-Ukraine war.

Russia has been accused of sending ‘signals’ ahead of the summit in Alaska

Ukrainian soldiers were able to break the horns of war of Russian occupiers near Dobropillia in Donetsk Oblast, analysts at DeepState report.

Dobropillia is a city leading to Pokrovsk, which Russia has been trying to capture for one and a half years.

Ahead of the Trump-Putin talks in Alaska, Russia intended to show strength and present the capture of Donetsk Oblast as inevitable. Moscow needs these territories for a more favorable deal, but for the Russian occupiers, it ends in destruction.

“I thank our 79th and 82nd Air Assault Brigades, which are fighting precisely there, on the Dobropillia axis,” Zelenskyy said.

He also highlighted the Azov soldiers, who took defensive positions on the Pokrovsk front to block Russian forces advancing in Donetsk Oblast.

The corps moved into what has been described as “one of the most difficult sections of the front.”

Previously, the area was defended by Tactical Group “Pokrovsk,” which “absolutely could not cope with defense on this section,” according to military sources.

Meanwhile, Azov National Guard Corps soldiers, together with adjacent units, say they have cleared six settlements on the Pokrovsk axis: Hruzke, Rubizhne, Novovodyane, Petrivka, Vesele, and Zolotyi Kolodiaz.

According to the Ukrainian military, 271 Russian occupiers were killed, 101 were wounded, and 13 were taken prisoner. Additionally, one Russian tank and two armored combat vehicles were destroyed or damaged, along with 37 vehicles and motorcycles, and three artillery pieces.

Azov emphasizes that Russian advances in this sector have been halted, though “stabilization operations” are still ongoing.

Earlier, DeepState reported that Russian occupiers were close to breaking through on the Pokrovsk axis.

Russian forces =dramatically expanded their breakthrough along the Pokrovsk–Kostiantynivka road. What began as a 10-kilometer salient in May 2025 near Malynivka, Nova Poltavka, and Novoolenivka extended to 23 kilometers.

During the Alaska meeting, the issue of territorial exchange will be discussed in particular, but any concrete decisions on this will be made by Ukraine, US President Donald Trump told journalists aboard Air Force One en route to Alaska, according to Clash Report. 

The Russian side does not plan to sign any documents or agreements following the Alaska meeting. According to Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, Trump and Putin may address the press to announce agreements reached verbally.

Trump added that he is attending the meeting not to negotiate on behalf of Ukraine, but to bring all parties to the negotiating table. According to the American leader, the US will provide Ukraine with certain security guarantees together with European countries, but this will not be done under NATO’s umbrella.

Trump was also asked to comment on Russian strikes in Ukraine. He speculated that Putin is doing this to strengthen his position ahead of the negotiations. He said that in this way, Putin hopes to help them reach the best possible deal. He also suggested that the killings of Ukrainians could simply be linked to his genetics.

At the same time, the US president expressed some optimism about today’s talks with Putin. He claimed that he likes the process because they want to do business, but the Russians will not conduct business until the war is resolved.

Trump also reminded that the Russian economy is going through difficult times, so if the negotiations fail, Russia will face great problems.

Ukrainian border guard drones from the Phoenix unit have destroyed a Russian BM-21 Grad multiple launch rocket system, a main battle tank, and up to 10 Russian soldiers in Donetsk Oblast. On 14 August, the State Border Guard Service released footage of the strikes, showing FPV drones hitting the targets with precision.

Phoenix unit hits Russian Grad, tank, infantry in Donetsk Oblast

According to the Border Guard Service, the operation targeted high-value Russian assets in the oblast. In addition to the Grad and the tank, the strikes destroyed a UAZ-452 “Bukhanka” van, a Ural military truck, other vehicles, several motorcycles used for troop movement, and fortified positions.

The released video shows FPV drones striking Russian soldiers, on foot and vehicles, the Grad launcher on the move, and the tank — the latter positioned inside a building at the moment of impact.

Around 10 Russian soldiers killed

Preliminary assessments by the Border Guard Service suggest the operation eliminated about ten Russian soldiers. 

Phoenix

Defense Express, commenting on the released video, reported that the border guard pilots used unmanned aerial systems capable of both reconnaissance and precision strikes, allowing the unit to operate deep inside contested areas while minimizing exposure to Russian air defenses.

Vladimir Putin stopped at a fish factory whilst on his way to Alaska to meet Donald Trump to discuss ending the Russia-Ukraine war.

Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed North Korean troops sent to fight in Ukraine as “heroic” in a letter to Kim Jong Un, North Korean state media reported Friday.

The letter comes as North Korea plans to send an additional 25,000 to 30,000 troops to assist Russia in their war against Ukraine, tripling Pyongyang’s military commitment from the original 11,000 soldiers deployed in November 2024.

It also reflects Russia’s growing reliance on North Korean support, with Ukrainian intelligence reporting that 60% of artillery shells fired by Russian forces recently were North Korean-made, compared to only 30% that were Russian-produced.

Russia’s highest-level acknowledgment of North Korean combat role

In a letter marking the anniversary of Korea’s liberation from Japanese rule, Putin recalled how Soviet Red Army units and North Korean forces fought together to end Japan’s colonial occupation, saying “This was demonstrated by the heroic participation of the D​PRK soldiers in liberating the territory of the Kursk region from the Ukrainian occupiers.”

Putin’s letter coincided with a visit by a Russian delegation to Pyongyang, where State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin thanked

Kim for sending “excellent soldiers” to Ukraine. Kim mentioned he had a phone call with Putin on Wednesday, agreeing to expanded bilateral cooperation.

North Korea’s expanding military commitment despite heavy losses

Ukrainian intelligence reports indicate around 4,000 of the original 11,000 North Korean soldiers were killed or injured in Kursk Oblast, according to Western officials. Despite these casualties, North Korea plans additional deployments.

North Korea confirmed in April 2025 for the first time that it had deployed troops to Russia to support its war against Ukraine, marking the country’s first participation in a major armed conflict since the Korean War.

Military cooperation deepens through technology transfers

The troop deployment stems from a mutual defense treaty signed by Putin and Kim in June 2024, which requires both nations to provide immediate military assistance if either is attacked.

Ukrainian intelligence confirms Russia and North Korea have reached agreements to establish drone production capabilities on North Korean territory, with Russia providing blueprints for Iranian Shahed-type drones.

Russia has also agreed to provide MiG-29 and Su-27 fighter jets to North Korea in exchange for military support, according to US Indo-Pacific Commander Admiral Samuel Paparo.

Russia’s growing dependence on North Korean munitions

South Korean estimates indicate North Korea sent over 15,000 containers of weapons since September 2023, with shipments including 9 million shells, hundreds of launchers, and KN-23 ballistic missiles that now account for 70% of Russian artillery use.

Strategic implications for Ukraine’s resistance

Putin’s letter came three days ahead of Friday’s summit between Putin and Trump, the first between a sitting US and Russian president since 2021, as Trump seeks to broker an end to Russia’s more than three-year war in Ukraine.

The deepening Russia-North Korea axis represents what Kim Jong Un has described as the Korean Peninsula being the front line in a new Cold War, with Pyongyang as a key player in a revived Cold War axis that includes Moscow and Beijing.

South Korean intelligence reports North Korea receives approximately $200 million, rice supplies, and advanced space technology in exchange for its military support, including assistance with launching military reconnaissance satellites.

Hundreds of demonstrators lined Anchorage streets Wednesday with Ukrainian flags and signs reading “Putin won’t stop at Ukraine” as they protested Vladimir Putin’s arrival for Friday’s 11:00 a.m. summit with Donald Trump at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson.

Trump’s admission of needing “give and take” on boundaries between Russia and Ukraine has protesters worried he’ll legitimize Putin’s demands for complete control of four Ukrainian oblasts while keeping President Volodymyr Zelenskyy out of decisions about his own country’s future. Trump told Fox News Radio there’s a “25% chance” the Alaska talks could fail, as per BBC.

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“I don’t like it at all” – NAACP leader rejects Putin on US soil

Benny Kobert, who leads the Fairbanks National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) chapter, didn’t mince words about Putin setting foot on US soil. “I don’t like it at all,” he told Euromaidan Press. “There was a reason why Putin was restricted from touching United States soil because of the crimes that he’s been committing all over the world and the genocide that he committed on his own people.”

Kobert worries about Trump’s track record of following through on his most controversial promises. “With all the misinformation, this is something that we really need to pay attention to because everything Trump is touting and wanting to do, he’s finding some way of doing it. And this is detrimental to our democracy.”

Russia wants everything, Ukraine gets nothing

Russia’s ceasefire conditions aren’t exactly subtle: complete control of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts, full occupation of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, NATO membership ruled out for Ukraine, and limits on Ukraine’s armed forces. Ukraine rejects these terms as surrender.

Svetlana Pestronak brought both personal pain and professional insight to Wednesday’s protest. The longtime Alaskan researcher was born in Soviet Belarus, and her Ukrainian husband Igor hails from Odesa. She described standing “in solidarity with Ukraine” while honoring “the victims of mass rape, including child rape, the victims of torture and mutilation and murder.”

She criticized Alaska’s leadership for embracing what she called “a very misleading and dangerous message” about the summit’s supposed benefits, warning it plays into “long-standing Russian propaganda that we take Ukraine first, Alaska is next.”

Explore further

Putin came for the summit. Trump brought the white flag.

“Zelenskyy should be here” – fury over exclusion from own country’s fate

Carmen Brooks couldn’t hide her outrage that Zelenskyy wasn’t invited to Friday’s discussions about his country’s future. “Putin is a war criminal and he is being welcomed here to Alaska,” she told Euromaidan Press. “Not inviting Zelenskyy to a meeting that involves his country and major decisions doesn’t seem very right.”

What makes this worse? European leaders had to extract assurances from Trump in a separate call about five principles including keeping Ukraine “at the table” for follow-up talks and avoiding land swaps before a ceasefire.

When asked whether Putin should be arrested, Brooks replied simply: “Yes.”

“These parents deserve answers” – Trump’s war crimes data purge

Protester after protester brought up Trump’s elimination of the State Department unit tracking Ukraine’s kidnapped children. “Trump deleted the department that was tracking the missing children of Ukraine and I have a real big problem with that,” one protester said. “These parents deserve answers.”

The discontinued Yale University program had documented over 30,000 Ukrainian children abducted by Russian forces before Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency cut its funding.

Environmental activist Cass said she came because: “I’m here protesting to show support for Ukraine and the war effort, but also to protest a war criminal being on US soil, specifically Alaska soil, and also protesting authoritarianism and fascism in general, which Putin and Trump both embody.”

From Cold War fortress to Putin’s welcome mat

Friday’s summit happens at the same military installation once used to counter Soviet expansion. Protesters see the irony: Putin’s presence validates exactly the imperial ambitions this base was built to deter.

Andrew Keller demanded that “Alaskans need to have input” in any resource negotiations rumored to be part of potential deals, “not Trump.” He called Putin’s presence “totally inappropriate” and argued that “you don’t invade the borders of a democratically elected free state.”

The protests come as Trump suggested he would know “in the first few minutes” whether Friday’s meeting was worth continuing, adding it would “end very quickly” otherwise.

Igor Pasternak, who left Odesa in 1999 and now calls Alaska home, told Euromaidan Press that seeing local support provided “a little bit healing” despite his pain over “not only what Russia does to Ukraine but also the reaction from some members of our government.”

Meanwhile, Russian propagandists are using the summit to revive territorial claims to Alaska itself, leveraging the summit’s symbolic venue choice to fuel imperial fantasies about reclaiming the territory Russia sold to the United States in 1867.

The Kremlin’s delegation has arrived in Alaska. A historic summit between Russian ruler Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump is beginning in Anchorage, but the Kremlin has already warned — no documents will be signed, UNIAN reports. 

Peskov: talks on Ukrainian settlement

Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin’s spokesperson, said the war in Ukraine will be the key topiс. 

“President Putin and President Trump intend to talk, they are ready to talk, and they will discuss the most difficult issues,” he claimed. 

He stressed that no documents are expected to be signed at the meeting, but during a joint press conference Putin will “outline the agreements and understandings that will be reached.”

Ukrainian position not yet on the agenda

Peskov clarified that the current talks are between Russia and the US, and that “discussion with the Ukrainian side will come at later stages.” He also described the war in Ukraine as “a complex and multifaceted substance” and added that “they are unlikely to receive an adequate response from the Europeans.”