Media caption,

'A long way for nothing?' BBC correspondents on Alaska meeting

  1. Trump and Putin claim summit success - but what will they ask of Zelensky next?published at 20:37 British Summer Time 16 August

    Adam Goldsmith
    Live reporter

    Vladimir Putin and Donald TrumpImage source, Getty Images

    This time yesterday, Donald Trump was welcoming Vladimir Putin onto American soil, smiling and shaking hands with the Russian leader on the Alaskan tarmac, before the pair headed down a red carpet and into talks on "pursuing peace" in Ukraine.

    In the end, no breakthrough was found on stopping the conflict, and our Russia editor in Anchorage says a shift in Trump's position into seeking lasting peace without an initial ceasefire will please Vladimir Putin.

    In the 24 hours since their talks, both leaders have claimed success. Putin today said his meeting was "very useful" and honed in on the need to eliminate the "root causes" of what he termed "the Ukrainian crisis".

    Meanwhile, multiple news outlets reported that Putin had presented an offer that involved Ukraine handing over complete control of its eastern Donetsk region, which is 70% occupied by Russia, in exchange for the freezing of the front lines.

    Trump also told European leaders that Putin was willing to make other concessions - although the president didn't specify what these might be, the BBC's US partner CBS reports.

    Now, attention turns to the leader who was excluded from discussions. On Monday, Zelensky will be in the White House, where he will be hopeful for a warmer reception than February's Oval Office shouting match with the president and Vice-President JD Vance.

    Beforehand, European leaders will once again convene under their "coalition of the willing" moniker tomorrow to discuss the path to peace.

    That brings an end to our live coverage for now, but we'll keep our news story updated with any developments.

  2. 'It did not go well for Europe': Russian media reactspublished at 20:27 British Summer Time 16 August

    Vitaliy Shevchenko
    Russia editor, BBC Monitoring, in Anchorage

    Russian TV is triumphant after the Alaska summit, and it argues that Europe and Ukraine are the biggest losers following talks between Putin and Trump.

    "Black Friday - that's how politicians in Europe see the meeting in Alaska. It did not go well for them at all," argues state-run Rossiya 1, Russia's most popular TV station. "Vladimir Putin did not give in. He defends his own."

    "Hard times begin for Europe," says privately-owned, but pro-Kremlin Ren TV. "EU leaders are outraged that they have been left out of the meeting that changed the world, and now they are left to accept the consequences."

    It goes on: "The main outcome of the Alaska summit is that Europe does not belong to itself anymore." It is Putin and Trump that will be "deciding the direction of geopolitical development" of both Europe and Asia, Ren TV says.

  3. Ukraine's troops 'advance up to 2.5km' in Sumy, military sayspublished at 20:18 British Summer Time 16 August

    We've just heard an update from the Ukrainian General Staff on the latest developments on the battlefield.

    The Ukrainian military says that "active operations" are taking place in Sumy to the north of the country, in particular in Oleksiivka and Yunakivka.

    And, in North-Slobozhansk, near the front line in the Sumy region, it says Ukrainian soldiers have advanced from "one to 2.5 kilometres" (0.6 to 1.5 miles).

    Sumy borders the Russian region of Kursk, parts of which were seized and occupied last year by Ukrainian forces in a surprise offensive before being almost totally driven out months later.

    Moscow has been pushing in the Sumy area with renewed effort since April, when Putin announced a plan to create "security buffer zones" along the border to provide "additional support" to areas in Russia which border Ukraine's Kharkiv, Sumy and Chernihiv regions.

    Comparative map of battlefield situation on 16 August 2024 (L) and 12 August 2025 (R). On left, large parts of the Russian Kursk region are shown under Ukrainian control. On right, in maroon, are shown Russia's gains within its territory; in yellow, areas of Russian claimed control; in striped red areas of limited Russian control
  4. What Putin means by the conflict's 'root causes'published at 20:07 British Summer Time 16 August

    Vladimir Putin in a black suit, white shirt and burgundy tie sitting on a leather chair at a wooden desk, a Russian flag on a pole behind him next to a wood-panelled wallImage source, Reuters

    Putin has consistently spoken of the need to address the conflict's “root causes” - a message he repeated when speaking alongside Trump after their talks in Alaska.

    The phrase has become shorthand for a series of demands, which include Ukraine becoming a neutral state, dramatically reducing its military and abandoning its Nato aspirations.

    Russia is also seeking recognition of territorial gains in the Ukrainian regions of Crimea, Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson.

    When Putin expanded the war and launched a full-scale invasion in 2022, he gave a TV address saying he wanted to "demilitarise and denazify" Ukraine.

    He has said he wants to protect Russian speakers in occupied areas of eastern Ukraine he claims are being subjected to “genocide” - a claim rejected by the International Court of Justice.

  5. Analysis

    Putin has a reason to be happy as Trump shifts positionpublished at 19:55 British Summer Time 16 August

    Vitaliy Shevchenko
    Russia editor, BBC Monitoring, in Anchorage

    Putin has a very good reason to be happy.

    Despite years of Western efforts - and that includes the Alaska summit - his position has not changed one bit.

    Remove the "root causes" of the conflict in Ukraine - this is what he said before, during and after his meeting with Trump in Anchorage.

    By that, the Russian president means the reasons why he started his so-called "special military operation" against Ukraine. Those reasons boil down to dismantling Ukraine as an independent state.

    And now, in a stark reversal, Trump appears to agree with his Russian counterpart that a ceasefire will not work, but a lasting peace is necessary - which, according to Putin, can only be achieved by removing those "root causes".

    Yet again, Putin seems to have Trump on board.

  6. Trump pushing ahead with diplomacy despite no breakthrough on Fridaypublished at 19:35 British Summer Time 16 August

    Anthony Zurcher
    North America correspondent, in Anchorage

    Mid-shot of Donald Trump in a dark suit (L) standing on stage in front of black mic. In the blurred background behind him are a US and Russian flagImage source, SPUTNIK/KREMLIN POOL/EPA/Shutterstock

    While Vladimir Putin gave little indication of concessions or substantive negotiation here in Alaska yesterday, Donald Trump is acting like his Friday assurance that “great progress” had been made in the talks was more than post-meeting spin.

    Despite an exceedingly long day of travel and meetings, the American president had a lengthy late-night conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders from Air Force One on arrival in Washington.

    Now he has scheduled an in-person meeting with Zelensky at the White House on Monday.

    Although it seemed unlikely after Trump and Putin departed Alaska following shorter-than-expected talks Friday afternoon, the White House still appears to believe that a trilateral meeting between Trump, Zelensky and Putin in the days ahead is a possibility.

    That may hinge on whether Zelensky is willing to “make a deal”, as Trump said Friday evening – even if it’s one that includes land concessions he has, so far, explicitly ruled out.

    As Trump’s path to peace has shifted from calls for a temporary ceasefire to directly reaching a permanent agreement, at least for now Trump’s efforts to achieve a diplomatic breakthrough are continuing at a fast pace.

  7. Trump didn't tell Ukraine's allies which concessions Putin could make - reportspublished at 19:21 British Summer Time 16 August

    Vladimir Putin shakes Donald Trump's hand. Both are smiling.Image source, Getty Images

    Earlier, we reported that Donald Trump spoke to European leaders this morning after his summit with Vladimir Putin in Alaska.

    Now, the BBC's US partner CBS News reports Trump suggested that Putin would make some concessions, but didn't specify whether this was in regards to territories or something else.

    CBS also lists some of Russia's demands, including: territory in Donetsk not currently held by Russian troops, protection for the Russian language and a request regarding Russian Orthodox churches.

    The outlet reports that there's now a concern among European diplomats that Trump may try to force Zelensky into agreeing to these terms when he visits the White House on Monday.

    Questions remain, CBS says, over whether Putin dropped his requirement for Ukraine to be demilitarised, as well as over the future of sanctions on the country.

  8. 'Not credible' that Ukraine gets Nato defence without membership - ex-US ambassadorpublished at 19:06 British Summer Time 16 August

    Ivo Daalder, elderly man with white hair sitting down indoors. He's wearing a blue-grey blazer with a pink shirt , behind him several pieces of art are visible decorating the room

    A former US Nato representative says it's "just not credible" that Ukraine could be offered the protection of Nato members after a peace deal is agreed without actually joining the organisation formally.

    As our Ukraine correspondent wrote earlier, there have been reports that security guarantees for Ukraine were discussed in Alaska which could see Ukraine’s allies, including the US, promising to intervene if Russia decided to attack it again.

    But, speaking a bit earlier to the BBC News channel, former US Nato representative Ivo Daalder challenged the feasibility of the security plan.

    "I don't believe that President Trump is willing to go to war against Russia to protect Ukraine," he says, observing that none of the Nato members were willing to do so either when Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

    "No one in Europe today trusts Donald Trump's US to defend them if they were attacked, and no-one in Ukraine is going to believe that unless and until they are the member of the one organisation that exists explicitly for that purpose," he explains.

  9. Unless Putin's perception of Ukraine changes, a peace deal won't be possiblepublished at 18:43 British Summer Time 16 August

    Lyse Doucet
    Chief international correspondent

    President Trump’s bold statement of moving “directly to a peace agreement” is mind-boggling. But that's the kind of world Trump lives in.

    During his election campaign he talked about ending the Ukraine war in a day. Then he changed it to 100 days. Everyone has stopped counting as more lives are lost and land ravaged.

    Trump prides himself on having written The Art of the Deal. But a peace deal in this region is layered with disputed history and deep-seated hostilities.

    Like any negotiations of this complexity, reaching a peace agreement will take time, and most of all, the readiness of the warring parties to work towards a deal rather than continuing to wage war.

    Ukraine, more than anyone else, yearns for an end to this war. But, at this moment, it’s hard to imagine a peace deal when Putin hasn’t even agreed to an extended pause in the fighting.

    And for Ukraine, it's about more than just territory; it's about sovereignty too.

    Putin has given no indication he’s shifted from his view that Ukraine isn’t a real country; he’s repeatedly made it clear it belongs in Russia. Unless that - and a lot else - shifts, a peace deal won't be possible.

  10. Alaska meeting with Donald Trump 'very useful', Putin sayspublished at 18:20 British Summer Time 16 August

    BBC Monitoring

    Wide shot from the left side of Vladimir Putin in a black suit sitting down at a white wooden desk decorated in gold speaking into two micsImage source, Reuters

    We can now bring you a bit more on Vladimir Putin's briefing with Russian officials following his return from Alaska.

    President Vladimir Putin has said that his meeting with US counterpart Donald Trump was "very useful" and that they had mainly discussed the Ukraine conflict, but also "almost all areas" of bilateral cooperation.

    "I would like to note straight away that the visit was timely and very useful," Putin said, according to the Kremlin transcript of his opening statement, external at the meeting.

    "We talked about almost all areas of interaction, but first of all, of course, we talked about a possible resolution of the Ukrainian crisis on a fair basis. And of course, we had the opportunity, which we did, to talk about the genesis, about the causes of this crisis. It is the elimination of these root causes that should be the basis for settlement," the Russian president noted.

    "I repeat once again: there was an opportunity to calmly and in detail once again set out our position. We, of course, respect the position of the American administration, which sees the need for a speedy end to military action. Well, we would also like this and would like to move on to resolving all issues by peaceful means," Putin said.

    "The conversation[with Trump] was very frank, informative, and, in my opinion, it brings us closer to the right decisions."

  11. Putin briefs senior officials on Trump meetingpublished at 18:01 British Summer Time 16 August

    Vladimir Putin (C) sits down at a white wooden desk with gold decorations as he sits on a matching chair in front of Russian officials at the Kremlin. Behind him, affixed to the wall, is a Russian flagImage source, Reuters

    Putin is back on Russian soil and he's briefed senior officials on the outcomes of his meeting with Donald Trump.

    In a post on Telegram, the Kremlin says high ranking officials from the presidential executive office, the government, the State Duma, ministries and agencies attended the meeting with the Russian leader.

  12. Zelensky has already ruled out ceding Donbas regionpublished at 17:43 British Summer Time 16 August

    Volodymyr Zelensky outside Downing StreetImage source, Getty Images

    While Putin has reportedly offered a halt in fighting and freeze on the front line in return for control of eastern Ukraine's Donbas region, Zelensky has already ruled it out.

    The Russian leader's offer, which he apparently made to Trump during talks in Alaska, would require approval through the Ukrainian parliament.

    Last week, Volodymyr Zelensky refused to cede control of the region to Russia in exchange for a ceasefire.

    "If we withdraw from the Donbas today - our fortifications, our terrain, the heights we control - we will clearly open a bridgehead for the Russians to prepare an offensive," he said.

    The proposal would also contradict EU leaders' warnings that in any peace deal, Ukraine's "territorial integrity" must be respected and "international borders must not be changed by force".

    For more on this story, BBC's Laura Gozzi took a closer look.

  13. Ukrainian regions at the centre of Putin's territorial offerpublished at 17:12 British Summer Time 16 August

    As our Ukraine correspondent has just reported, Vladimir Putin has reportedly offered to halt his offensive and freeze the front line in Ukraine if Volodymyr Zelensky agrees to hand over control of the eastern Donetsk region to Russia.

    Multiple news outlets are also reporting that Putin has asked Ukraine to withdraw from the Donbas more widely, which is made up of Donetsk and Luhansk.

    This comes after previous reports suggested Putin's desire for Ukraine to hand over control in both areas in return for a halt to its military offensive on the front line.

    What do we know about Donbas?

    The region has been the source of territorial skirmishes between Ukraine and Russia since 2014.

    The Donbas is predominantly Russian-speaking, and after Russia seized Crimea in 2014, its proxy forces gained a foothold there in a war that never came to an end

    Just before he launched the war, President Putin recognised all of Luhansk and Donetsk as independent of Ukraine, not just the limited statelets created by Moscow-backed proxies.

    Freezing the frontline?

    Now, multiple outlets including the Financial Times, Bloomberg and Reuters are reporting that Putin told Trump he would end fighting on the rest of the front line in Ukraine if Zelensky hands over full control of the Donbas region.

    As the map below shows, this would require the Ukrainian president to hand over some of the Donbas region that Russia has not yet taken control of. This would also include the majority of Zaporizhzia and Kherson to the south - which Russia has captured.

    Map showing which areas of east of Ukraine are under Russian military control or limited Russian control
  14. Putin proposes control of eastern Donetsk in return for freezing front lines - reportspublished at 16:49 British Summer Time 16 August
    Breaking

    James Waterhouse
    Ukraine correspondent in Brussels

    Vladimir Putin has reportedly made a proposal to Donald Trump that involves Ukraine handing over complete control of its eastern Donetsk region, which is 70% occupied by Russia.

    According to multiple newspapers, Putin would in return agree to the front lines being frozen. Other unspecified concessions were apparently offered.

    Donald Trump reportedly told Volodymyr Zelensky the offer in a phone call after the Alaska summit.

    Uncomfortable as it is for Kyiv, the question of territory is a core negotiating point in these peace efforts.

    It’s tried to hold firm on its stance of not conceding any to Moscow, which in turn hasn’t backed down on its demand for not just the land it’s seized, but the complete control of four Ukrainian regions.

    It is difficult imagining Zelensky handing over major cities like Kramatorsk, Kostyantynivka and Sloviansk after successfully defending them for so long. It would also require the approval of Ukraine’s parliament.

  15. Five key moments from the Alaska summit - a recappublished at 16:43 British Summer Time 16 August

    Laura Gozzi
    Europe reporter

    A packed room of press and reporters look ahead to Trump and Putin speaking behind podiums. A sign on a backdrop reads: 'Pursuing Peace'.Image source, Reuters
    Image caption,

    The world's media gathered for the news conference in Alaska but the US and Russian leaders took no questions from reporters

    Putin welcomed back on world stage with red carpet

    The fact that the Alaska summit happened at all was a victory for Putin. In a short six months, Putin went from being a pariah in the eyes of the West to being welcomed on US soil like a partner and friend. To cap it off, Putin decided to accept a lift to the airbase in Trump's armoured limousine instead of driving in his own Moscow-plated presidential state car.

    Putin faced with questions he never gets asked

    In his 25 years as Russian president, Putin has achieved complete control over the media, crushing journalistic freedoms and replacing information with propaganda. Yet minutes after landing in Alaska, one journalist shouted in his direction: "Will you stop killing civilians?" If the question bothered him, he didn't show it, appearing instead to shrug and divert his gaze.

    What was said - as talks ended earlier than expected

    Unusually, Putin was the first to speak praising the "neighbourly" talks. When he mentioned the war - which he phrased as "the situation in Ukraine" - he said that the "root causes" of the conflict had to be eliminated before peace could be achieved. That's shorthand for a series of intractable and maximalist demands that Putin says stand in the way of a ceasefire. With this, it was clear that there was no deal.

    What was not said?

    When it was Trump's turn to speak, he did not mention Ukraine or the possibility of a ceasefire once. "There were many, many points that we agreed on," Trump said, but he did not share any details and it did not appear that any concrete steps had been taken towards a resolution of the conflict.

    'Next time in Moscow' - Putin makes rare aside in English

    The two leaders left the door open for another meeting: "I'll probably see you again very soon," Trump said. Putin seemed at ease enough to break into English – a rare occurrence. Chuckling, he looked at Trump and said: "Next time in Moscow." Trump replied: "Oh, that's an interesting one. I'll get a little heat on that one, but I – I could see it possibly happening."

    These key moments are explored in more detail in: 'Next time in Moscow?': Five takeaways after Trump and Putin's Alaska summit

  16. 'Shameful': Democrats pour scorn on Trump-Putin meetingpublished at 16:17 British Summer Time 16 August

    Nancy Pelosi speaks into a microphone on a podium.Image source, Getty Images

    Back in Washington, Democrat lawmakers are posting criticism of Trump's Alaska summit on social media.

    "We prayed for peace but instead got praise for Putin," writes House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on X.

    Pelosi says Putin "should immediately return the tens of thousands of children he kidnapped from Ukraine and stop the raping of women as a weapon of war".

    Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer says Trump had rolled out the red carpet for an "authoritarian thug".

    "Instead of standing with Ukraine and our allies, Trump stood shoulder to shoulder with an autocrat that has terrorised the Ukrainian people and the globe for years," he says.

    Chris Van Hollen, a senator from Maryland, says Trump was "played" by the Russian president.

    "Putin got a meeting on US soil, Trump got flattered by Putin. Advantage Putin. Shameful," he writes in a post on X.

  17. Kremlin videos show Putin is clearly pleased with Alaska summitpublished at 15:58 British Summer Time 16 August

    Natalia Zotova
    BBC Russian

    Media caption,

    Kremlin video shows Trump and Putin shake hands as summit concludes

    Putin is clearly pleased with the outcome of the Alaska summit - and the videos published by the Kremlin reflect this.

    For the Russian leader, the result was not about agreements reached (there were none, but that's ok with him).

    Thanks to Trump’s warm reception, Putin might feel like he regained respect and status on the world stage.

    Putin has been a pariah of the West. Many leaders no longer called him and he couldn’t travel to most countries fearing arrest under an International Criminal Court warrant. But, on Friday, he was welcomed with a red carpet on American soil with the US president applauding him.

    Videos published by the Kremlin show the presidential plane escorted by American fighter jets - there not to shoot it down or arrest the Russian president, but as an honour guard.

    US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who until recently had taken a pro-Ukrainian stance, is seen shaking Putin’s hand at Trump’s direction. Another video shows Trump casual and friendly, talking to Putin in the backstage of the summit.

    This is an attempt by the Kremlin to underline the big change in the US’s attitude toward Putin. What makes this especially significant is that, of all the Western countries, it’s America.

    For decades, Russian propaganda has instilled hatred toward the US, portraying it as the complete opposite of Russia’s so-called “traditional values” and “spirituality”. But now, Russia's 'arch nemesis' is showing Putin honour and respect.

    And, for all of that, Putin didn’t even have to make concessions or stop bombing Ukraine.

    Media caption,

    US Secretary of State Marco Rubio shakes hands with Putin in a video published by the Kremlin

  18. The latest reaction from global leaderspublished at 15:43 British Summer Time 16 August

    German Chancellor Frederick MerzImage source, AFP via Getty Images

    • Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz praises Trump's efforts to "achieve just and lasting peace", before adding Ukraine can count on Germany's "unwavering solidarity"
    • Poland Prime Minister Donald Tusk warns "the game for Ukraine's future, Poland's security, and all of Europe has entered a decisive phase" and Putin has "again proven to be a cunning and ruthless player"
    • Netherlands Prime Minister Dick Schoof says he will continue to provide "military, financial and political support for Ukraine" and put pressure on Russia in the form of "severe sanctions"
    • India's foreign ministry spokesperson says it welcomes the "progress made" at the summit and commends the "pursuit of peace"
    • The EU's foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, says Putin has no "intention of ending this war anytime soon" and he continues to "drag out negotiations and hopes he gets away with it"
  19. A win for Putin, a shift for Trump: BBC correspondents on the Alaska summitpublished at 15:24 British Summer Time 16 August

    Putin and Trump stood behind podiums a distance apart from each other. Both stood behind microphones. Blue background with text that reads "pursuing peace".Image source, EPA/Shutterstock

    In the hours after Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin failed to agree a deal on bringing an end to the Ukraine war, BBC correspondents have been dissecting the leaders' summit in Alaska.

    Here's a reminder of the latest BBC analysis and reporting:

    Winners and losers

    The Russian president got a red carpet welcome and presidential applause. Trump, in return, "got nothing to present as a tangible achievement" - amounting to a "clear win for Putin", writes Tom Bateman from Alaska.

    Does a win for Putin mean a loss for Ukraine and its European allies? Our Ukraine correspondent James Waterhouse says, despite lobbying Trump ahead of the summit, the announcement that he'll bypass an initial ceasefire "is a a blow to the bloc and Kyiv, because it was one of their main requests".

    A shift for Trump

    World news correspondent Joe Inwood says Trump's shift toward a peace deal as the "best way" to bring about an end to the Ukraine war, rather than a ceasefire, is a significant move.

    In Kyiv

    Nearly 5,000 miles away from Anchorage, our correspondent in Kyiv Joel Gunter speaks to residents who say they are "crushed" by what they saw last night.

    By giving Putin a red carpet welcome "the rational world behaved irrationally", one woman tells him. But, there is relief that no conditions were put on Ukraine.

  20. 'Coalition of the willing' to hold talks before Zelensky visits White Housepublished at 14:51 British Summer Time 16 August

    Stramer sits in front of a TV screen filled with members of the coalition of the willingImage source, Reuters
    Image caption,

    The 'coalition of the willing' last met a few days before Trump spoke to Putin

    The 'coalition of the willing' - a group of countries that have pledged to support Ukraine - will hold a call on Sunday afternoon, ahead of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to the White House on Monday.

    The meeting will be led by French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

    Earlier today, those leaders spoke with Zelensky and US President Donald Trump after the summit in Alaska.