‘Ukraine’s security must be ensured’, says Putin, but only if Russia’s concerns are addressed

Anchorage: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday said he agreed with US President Donald Trump that Ukraine’s security “must be ensured”, but stressed that this would only be possible if Moscow’s “fundamental security concerns” were taken into account.

“I agree with President Trump that the security of Ukraine must be secured, and of course, we are ready to work on that,” Putin told a press conference in Anchorage.

He voiced hope that an agreement reached with Trump, the details of which were not disclosed, would “pave the path towards peace in Ukraine”. The Russian leader insisted that the conflict could only end if its “primary roots” were tackled.

“The situation in Ukraine has to do with the fundamental threats to our security,” Putin said, adding that “to consider all legitimate concerns of Russia and to reinstate a just balance of security in Europe and in the world… naturally, the security of Ukraine should be ensured as well.”

Putin did not clarify what addressing those “roots” would entail, though he has previously linked the term to demands rejected by Kyiv and its Western allies.

Trump, meanwhile, said he would brief NATO leaders, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and “other appropriate officials” about the discussions. “I'm going to start making a few phone calls and tell them what happened,” he told reporters.

The two leaders met for about three hours, shorter than the six to seven hours Russian aides had anticipated. While both spoke of “progress”, no ceasefire was announced and no specifics were offered.

Putin thanked Trump for what he described as the “atmosphere of trust” during their Alaska talks. “I would like to thank Trump for working together and maintaining a friendly and trustful atmosphere in the talks. The key thing is that both parties were determined to achieve results,” he said, according to Russian news agency TASS.

He called the meeting “positive and constructive”, adding that the agreements reached could serve as a starting point for resolving the Ukraine conflict and restoring Moscow–Washington ties.

Putin began his remarks by acknowledging the deterioration in US–Russia relations, saying their talks were held “in a constructive and mutually respectful atmosphere”. He said he greeted Trump “as a neighbor” and believed they had established “very good direct contacts”.

The Russian President reiterated that Russia has always regarded Ukrainians as “a brotherly people”. He said: “All the root causes of the crisis must be eliminated. Ukraine’s security must, of course, be ensured, and we are ready to work on this.”

Russian Ambassador to the US Alexander Darchiev also described the atmosphere of the discussions as broadly positive.

This was the first time in seven years that Putin stood alongside an American President to take questions, the last being in Helsinki in 2018 with Trump. When Joe Biden met Putin in Geneva in 2021, he chose to hold separate press briefings.

Speaking to Fox News on his way to Alaska, Trump said he wanted to secure a ceasefire and would be disappointed without one. “I wouldn’t be thrilled if I didn’t get it,” he said, though he acknowledged some believe it may only come after a second meeting.

Putin gave no indication of his stance. At the airport, when reporters asked whether he would “stop killing civilians”, he smirked and gestured as if unable to hear.

Trump welcomed Putin to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska with a red-carpet reception. As the leaders shook hands, F-22 fighters and B-2 stealth bombers flew overhead, aircraft developed during the Cold War but deployed afterwards, in what may have been a pointed reminder of US military power.