President Donald Trump’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Anchorage, Alaska, on Friday drew praise from several European leaders who said his efforts have opened the door to peace in Ukraine. While the summit did not produce a ceasefire or formal agreement, Trump announced progress toward a potential comprehensive peace deal after three and a half years of war.
British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said Trump’s leadership should be recognized. “President Trump’s efforts have brought us closer than ever before to ending Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine. His leadership in pursuit of an end to the killing should be commended,” Starmer told The Times of London. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni added that the talks offered “a glimmer of hope” for meaningful discussions on peace. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said Trump’s diplomacy marked a turning point, stating, “Today, the world is a safer place than it was yesterday.”
Despite the optimism, some leaders remain cautious. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas warned that Putin continues to stall negotiations. She noted that while Trump is pressing for a deal, Moscow left Anchorage without making concrete commitments. “The US holds the power to force Russia to negotiate seriously,” Kallas said, pledging that Europe would continue working with both Ukraine and Washington.
In a joint statement, Starmer, Meloni, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, and EU leaders Ursula von der Leyen and António Costa called for a trilateral summit involving Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and Putin. They stressed that Ukraine’s sovereignty and right to pursue NATO membership must not be limited as part of any deal. “Ukraine must have ironclad security guarantees,” the leaders declared.
Trump said following the Anchorage talks that “a lot of points were agreed on” but admitted “one or two pretty significant items” remain unresolved. He emphasized that any final settlement depends on Ukraine’s approval. Zelensky, who has been meeting with European allies, is expected to meet with Trump on Monday.
