TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that after his summit meeting with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, it's now the turn of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders "to get it done."
"A lot of points were agreed on, there's not that much, you know, one or two pretty significant items, but I think they can be reached," Trump said in an interview with Fox News after his historic meeting with Putin in Alaska, as quoted by Anadolu.
"Now, it's really up to President Zelensky to get it done. And I would also say the European nations, they have to get involved a little bit, but it's up to President Zelensky,' he said.
Trump and Putin were optimistic after more than three hours of closed-door talks, with the Russian leader saying they had come to an "understanding."
The key points of contention ahead of the meeting still revolve around the controversial land swap between Russia and Ukraine, which has been sidelined by Zelensky, as well as what kind of security guarantees can be offered to Kyiv to ensure Russia does not return to fighting against its neighbor in Eastern Europe.
Trump said a trilateral meeting between himself, Zelensky, and Putin would be "set up."
The U.S. president did not have a specific timetable for when the meeting would take place, but said the meeting would be in "fairly short" order.
"They both want me there, and I'll be there. You've got to see it out," Trump said about Zelensky and Putin.
U.S. President Donald Trump, who likes to call himself a dealmaker, rolled out the red carpet for Vladimir Putin at an air base in Alaska. For the first time, the Russian leader was allowed into Western territory since he ordered the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
After a sudden end to the three-hour talks with their aides, Trump and the Russian president gave warm remarks but did not take questions from journalists —ahighly unusual move for a U.S. president well-versed in the media.
"We're not there yet, but we've made progress. There's no deal until there's a deal," Trump said, as quoted by Euractiv.
He called the meeting "extremely productive" with "many points" agreed upon, although he did not provide specific details.
"There are just a very few that are left, some are not that significant, one is probably the most significant," Trump said without elaborating further.
Putin also broadly discussed cooperation in a joint press conference that lasted only 12 minutes.
"We hope that the understanding we have reached will... pave the way for peace in Ukraine," Putin said.
As Trump mentioned a second meeting, Putin smiled and said in English, "Next time in Moscow."
The former KGB agent quickly sought to flatter Trump, who had previously expressed admiration for the Russian leader.
Putin told Trump that he agreed with him that the war in Ukraine, ordered by Putin, would not have happened if Trump had been president, not Joe Biden.
Trump himself again complained about the 'hoax' that Russia intervened to help him in the 2016 election—a finding supported by U.S. intelligence.
Putin Warns Western Allies
This friendly reception sharply contrasts with Trump's condemnation of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky when he met him at the White House in February.
Trump had previously said he was working on a three-way meeting with Zelensky but did not announce it at the summit.
Putin warned Ukraine and European countries not to "create any obstacles" and not to "make attempts to disrupt this emerging progress through provocation or behind-the-scenes intrigues."
Trump invited Putin a week ago and ensured a carefully choreographed drama for their first in-person meeting since 2019.
Both leaders arrived in their presidential jets and landed at an air base runway, with Trump applauding as Putin emerged.
Putin, undaunted, grinned widely as Trump took the unusual step of escorting him into 'The Beast,' the secure U.S. presidential limousine, before the meeting in a room with a backdrop that read—only in English—'Pursuing Peace.'
Putin smiled and bantered with Russian journalists during the visit, a historical milestone for a leader facing an International Criminal Court arrest warrant related to the war in Ukraine, which has killed tens of thousands.
Gains on the Battlefield
Russia, in the past few days, has made gains on the battlefield that could strengthen Putin's position in any ceasefire negotiations, although Ukraine announced, as Putin flew in, that they had recaptured several villages.
Trump insisted he would be tough on Putin, after being heavily criticized for appearing intimidated during their summit in 2018 in Helsinki.
As he traveled to Alaska, the White House announced that Trump had canceled plans to meet Putin alone, and instead held talks with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his roving envoy, Steve Witkoff.
Zelensky was not included and rejected Trump's pressure to hand over the territory seized by Russia.
He said on Friday that Moscow is still killing people and showing no desire to end the war, just hours before the summit began.
"There is no order, nor any signals from Moscow that it is preparing to end this war... they are also killing on the day of the negotiations," Zelensky said in a video address uploaded on social media.
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