U.S. President Donald Trump abandoned his push for an immediate Ukraine ceasefire during a high-stakes summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday, instead aligning with Moscow\u2019s call for a broader peace accord.<\/p>\n
The meeting, held at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska, ended with Trump announcing that the \u201cbest way to end the horrific war\u201d is through a comprehensive peace agreement rather than a temporary ceasefire. The reversal marked a dramatic shift from his earlier threats of \u201csevere consequences\u201d and sanctions if Putin refused to halt hostilities.<\/p>\n
Trump\u2019s pivot followed consultations with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders. \u201cIt was determined by all that the best way to end the war \u2026 is to go directly to a Peace Agreement,\u201d Trump wrote on social media as he flew back to Washington.<\/p>\n
The White House has yet to release details of the talks. European allies expressed relief that Trump did not agree to territorial concessions but noted the outcome gave Putin fresh international legitimacy.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis was a distinct win for Putin. He didn\u2019t yield an inch,\u201d said Carl Bildt, former prime minister of Sweden. \u201cAnd a distinct setback for Trump. No ceasefire in sight.\u201d<\/p>\n
Democrats criticized Trump\u2019s warm reception of Putin, which included red carpet honors, a ride in the presidential limousine, and invitations for future meetings in Moscow.<\/p>\n
\u201cPresident Trump appears to have been played yet again by Vladimir Putin,\u201d said Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH). \u201cHe rolled out a red carpet for a murderous dictator and got nothing concrete in return.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI) urged Congress to pass \u201ccrushing sanctions\u201d against Russia, warning against \u201ccaving to Putin.\u201d<\/p>\n
Trump\u2019s Republican allies responded more cautiously. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) praised Trump\u2019s initiative, predicting the war could end \u201cwell before Christmas\u201d if trilateral talks with Zelenskyy proceed.<\/p>\n
Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL), chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, voiced confidence in Trump\u2019s diplomacy, citing his past mediation efforts in Africa and Asia.<\/p>\n
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) said she was \u201ccautiously optimistic\u201d but insisted that Ukraine \u201cmust freely agree\u201d to any settlement.<\/p>\n
Analysts said Putin gained the most from the summit. The Russian leader, facing Western sanctions and diplomatic isolation, secured a stage alongside the U.S. president without conceding ground in Ukraine.<\/p>\n
\u201cTrump came out of the meeting weaker,\u201d said Fiona Hill, a former U.S. National Security Council adviser. \u201cOther leaders may now see him as not the deal making genius he claims to be.\u201d<\/p>\n
Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev called the meeting a \u201cbreakthrough\u201d in restoring dialogue with Washington, praising its \u201ccalm, without ultimatums and threats\u201d tone.<\/p>\n
For Trump, the summit underscores both his ambitions to be seen as a global peacemaker \u2014 and the formidable challenge of dealing with Putin.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
U.S. President Donald Trump abandoned his push for an immediate Ukraine ceasefire during a high-stakes summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday, instead aligning with Moscow\u2019s call for a broader peace accord. The meeting, held at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska, ended with Trump announcing that the \u201cbest way to end the horrific war\u201d<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":13770,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":{"twitter_1160854738579181570_1160854738579181570":"","facebook_3558452337540614_100649324928663":""},"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[17,23],"tags":[1299,1296,1300,806,970,663,1302,1297,1295,1301,1298,1090,1091],"class_list":{"0":"post-13769","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-politics","8":"category-world-news","9":"tag-alaska-summit","10":"tag-ceasefire","11":"tag-congress","12":"tag-diplomacy","13":"tag-donald-trump","14":"tag-european-union","15":"tag-international-relations","16":"tag-peace-agreement","17":"tag-russia-ukraine-war","18":"tag-sanctions","19":"tag-u-s-politics","20":"tag-vladimir-putin","21":"tag-volodymyr-zelenskyy"},"yoast_head":"\n