US President Donald Trump welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin to Alaska with great ceremony, rolling out a red carpet and clapping as the Russian leader arrived. The summit was their first in-person meeting since 2018 and also marked Putin’s first visit to Western soil since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.
Trump’s gestures of respect drew worldwide attention, but the talks brought no breakthrough on ending the war. For Ukraine, which had hoped for progress, the event was more spectacle than substance.
Kneeling US Troops Spark Outrage
One photograph from the visit quickly spread across social media. American soldiers were seen kneeling at the foot of Putin’s plane, fixing the red carpet before he stepped down the stairs. The image set off anger online, especially in Ukraine.
ALSO READ: Trump Talks to Zelensky, NATO After Alaska Summit, No Peace Deal for Ukraine
Mustafa Nayyem, former head of Ukraine’s Agency for Restoration and Infrastructure, shared the picture with a biting caption: “Make kneeling great again.” For many, the photo symbolized the tone of the summit and overshadowed any serious discussion.
Trump & Putin Show Warm Ties
Make Kneeling Great Again pic.twitter.com/dqtZLxKhBK
— Mustafa Nayyem (@mefimus) August 15, 2025
Trump’s actions at the tarmac — clapping repeatedly and greeting Putin with a strong handshake — underlined the personal warmth he wanted to project. For Putin, simply being welcomed in this way on Western territory was a diplomatic win.
It showed that he was still being recognized as a world leader despite his war in Ukraine. The meeting made clear that Trump was more interested in optics and personal diplomacy than in concrete outcomes.
Talks Without Results
The two leaders and their teams spent three hours in closed-door talks before facing the media. Trump called the meeting “extremely productive” and claimed “many points were agreed to,” but he offered no details.
Why was Trump clapping for Putin? pic.twitter.com/Wcgkjti8Zw
— Pekka Kallioniemi (@P_Kallioniemi) August 15, 2025
Putin also avoided specifics and spoke only of general progress. No ceasefire was announced, and no binding deal was reached.
ALSO READ: Trump-Putin Alaska Summit: Success or Symbolism? Key Takeaways for Ukraine
Pressure Shifts to Zelenskyy
Afterwards, Trump put the next move on Ukraine’s president. In an interview with Fox News, he said, “Now it’s really up to President Zelensky to get it done. And I would also say the European nations have to get involved a little bit, but it’s up to President Zelensky.”
His words placed the burden on Kyiv while revealing how little the Alaska meeting had changed the situation.
Symbolism Over Substance
The Alaska summit ended up being more about pictures than policy. From the sight of kneeling soldiers to Trump’s visible show of respect, the event highlighted the chemistry between the two leaders but failed to produce any concrete progress for peace.
The war in Ukraine goes on, and the strongest memory of this summit is likely to remain the red carpet moment — a powerful image that captured the focus of the world while leaving Ukraine’s fate unresolved.
ALSO READ: Putin Gains Recognition — Did Trump Come Back Empty-Handed From Alaska Summit?
