Trump briefs European leaders and Zelensky on the results of his historic summit with Putin

US President Donald Trump briefed his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders on Saturday on the results of his summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, a spokeswoman for the European Commission said.

The spokeswoman said the call, which included European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, lasted “just over an hour”.

For his part, Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his hope that the understanding he reached with his US counterpart, Donald Trump, would lead to peace in Ukraine.

This came in statements made by Putin during a press conference with Trump on Friday, following a meeting that lasted approximately three hours at Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson in Alaska.

Putin said, “Our meeting with US President Trump was constructive and useful, and based on mutual respect”.

He noted that the situation in Ukraine was a key topic of the meeting with Trump.

Putin added, “We see that the US administration and Trump are making efforts to resolve the Ukrainian crisis”.

He stressed that “Ukraine’s security must, of course, be guaranteed, and we are ready to work on this issue”.

He expressed his gratitude to Trump for inviting him to Alaska, adding, “It made sense for us to meet here… Although oceans separate our countries, we are, in fact, close neighbors”.

Putin added: “When I got off the plane, I said to Trump: ‘Hello, dear neighbor… It’s great to see you well and in good health.’ The only thing separating us is the Bering Strait”.

He pointed out that Alaska is linked to an important part of the shared history between Russia and the United States, recalling that during World War II, an air route was established under a Lend-Lease agreement to transport aircraft and military equipment.

He continued, “We’ll not forget the historical examples of our military alliance and solidarity against the common enemy… I am confident that this legacy will help us rebuild equal and mutually beneficial relations, even in the most difficult circumstances”.

Putin touched on Russian-US relations, noting that no high-level meetings have been held for more than four years.

He added, “That was a long time ago… During that period, bilateral relations were extremely difficult, and had fallen to their lowest point since the Cold War… This wasn’t good for our two countries or for the world”.

He continued, “Sooner or later, it was necessary to move from confrontation to dialogue… In this context, a face-to-face meeting between the two heads of state was indeed necessary”.

He emphasized that he had very good direct communication with Trump, citing their numerous phone conversations, Witkoff’s visits to Russia, and the ongoing communication between the two countries’ foreign ministers and deputies.

He continued, “Since the new US administration took office, the volume of trade between our two countries has begun to increase, although this increase is symbolic, amounting to 20%… We’ve many interesting areas for joint work”.

He continued, “It’s clear that the partnership between Russia and the United States in the areas of trade and investment has great potential… Our two countries have much to offer each other in the areas of trade, energy, digitalization, advanced technology, and space”.

He also noted the possibility of cooperation with the United States regarding the Arctic region, stressing the importance of rebuilding interaction between the Russian Far East and the US West Coast.

The Russian president stressed that it’s important for our two countries to turn a new page and resume cooperation… We must do that”.

Putin revealed some details of the talks with Trump, saying, “The situation in Ukraine was the main topic of the summit… We see that the US administration and President Trump are showing a genuine interest in understanding the essence and causes of the crisis and are seeking to find solutions”.

He added, “What is happening in Ukraine is linked to fundamental threats to our security… More importantly, we see the Ukrainian people as a brotherly people, with one common root… What is happening there is a tragedy and pain for us… That is why we support ending this tragedy”.

He added, “However, to resolve the crisis in a lasting and long-term manner, its root causes must be addressed, all of Russia’s legitimate concerns must be taken into account, and a fair balance must be established in the field of security in Europe and the world”.

Putin noted that his US counterpart addressed the issue of ensuring Ukraine’s security, stating, “I agree with what Trump said today… It’s essential to ensure Ukraine’s security, and we are ready to work on this”.

The Russian president expressed his hope that the understanding he reached with Trump will lead to achieving the goal and bringing peace to Ukraine.

He also expressed his hope that Ukraine and European countries will accept these efforts constructively, and that no one will attempt to obstruct progress through provocations or hidden conspiracies.

He added, “I thank President Trump for our joint work… It’s important for both sides to be focused on results… I believe the US president knows what he wants to do, is genuinely concerned about the well-being of his country, and is also mindful of Russia’s national interests”.

Putin concluded by saying, “I hope that the understandings we reached today will serve as a basis for resolving the Ukrainian issue and the beginning of rebuilding practical and pragmatic relations between Russia and the United States… I believe that by moving forward on this path, we will be able to end the conflict in Ukraine as soon as possible”.