Trump says Putin meeting was 'productive,' but 'there's no deal until there's a deal'

ruff and vladimir putin encounter in ak

Trump and Putin arrive in Alaska for summit

Trump and Putin kick off talks

Activist hopes for 'reasonable' ceasefire terms for Ukraine following Alaska summit

This was Putin’s last visit to the United States

Zelenskyy, European leaders insist Ukraine must have say in peace talks

Putin says decision to meet with Trump was mutual

Putin thanked Trump for his co-operation and friendship. He said he and Trump have reached an “understanding” on Ukraine, and warned Europe not to “torpedo” the nascent progress.

Putin began the press conference by calling Russia and the U.S. €œneighbours.” He spoke of the common enemies the two countries have fought in the past, saying Alaska represents their “shared history.”

He says the negotiations today were “thorough” and held in “a constructive atmosphere of mutual respect.”

The presidents are holding a joint news conference.

Zelenskyy, excluded from today's discussions, posted a video address online saying he hoped for a “strong position from the U.S.”

“Everyone wants an honest end to the war. Ukraine is ready to work as productively as possible to end the war," he said.

He later added, “The war continues and it continues precisely because there is no order, nor any signals from Moscow, that it is preparing to end this war.”

The talks between Trump and Putin have ended after more than two and a half hours. The U.S. And Russian leaders are expected to hold a news conference at some point and reporters have gathered in a room with two podiums to wait.

Russian special envoy Kirill Dmitriev told Russian state television today’s talks went “remarkably well.”

This sitdown with Putin is Trump's chance to prove to the world he is the master dealmaker and global peacemaker he claims to be.

While there has been some eye-rolling here in Washington about Trump pressuring the Nobel Committee to give him the peace prize, the U.S. President has had some success in bringing conflicts to a close.

In his first term, the Trump administration brokered the Abraham Accords, normalizing relations between Israel and some Arab countries.

And, in the first eight months of this presidency, Trump has helped stop several disputes, including between Azerbaijan and Armenia, Cambodia and Thailand, Rwanda and Democratic Republic of the Congo, and India and Pakistan.

But a solution to Putin's war has proven elusive. Trump appeared to have acknowledged what’s on the line today, simply posting on his social media, "HIGH STAKES!!!"

If he walks away from this meeting with nothing, it would be a major blow to his peace-making persona.

Just as Putin was approaching the welcome podium for that joint photo-op with Trump on arrival in Anchorage, the U.S. Air Force deployed a B-2 spirit bomber and an array of F-22 and F-35 fighter jets in the skies above.

It appeared to catch Putin off guard as he jolted his head back to catch a glimpse of the American firepower directly overhead.

It's not clear if Trump called for the jets to fly over at that very moment — the former TV showman knows something about timing — but it was certainly a reminder to the Russian delegation of what the world's most powerful military has in its arsenal.

The American-made B-2 stealth bomber is considered a symbol of U.S. Power. It can fly nearly around the world non-stop — it has a range of some 9,600 kilometres, according to its manufacturer, and can be refuelled in midair. It’s equipped to drop either conventional or nuclear weapons, virtually undetected.

It's also the aircraft the U.S. Military used to destroy parts of Iran's nuclear program earlier this year.

Karleen Leeper, who’s lived here for 30 years, told me she is “not hopeful of a great outcome” at the base, which is about 25 minutes from the protest in downtown Anchorage.

She’s holding a homemade sign that says, “Dictators are not welcome here.”

Protesters waved Ukrainian and American flags outside a shopping mall in Anchorage today as Trump and Putin met inside Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson.

Many took jabs at both leaders, holding signs that said, “Alaska stands with Ukraine” and “Arrest Putin.”

It's true Russia’s attacks on Ukraine have not let up. Data from the Center for Strategic and International Studies shows Russia’s aerial assault on Ukraine has steadily intensified this year, with as many as 6,600 weapons launched last month alone.

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