Weeks after Alaska talks, Putin weighs in on Trump’s role in Russia-Ukraine peace efforts; here’s what he said

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday (September 3, 2025) opened up about US President Donald Trump’s role in the Russia-Ukraine conflict and what was discussed between him and Trump during the Alaska talks.

Speaking at a press conference after concluding his China visit, Putin praised Trump for having a 'sincere desire to find a solution' to the Ukraine conflict. On being asked about his discussions with Trump during the Alaska summit, Putin said, ‘We spoke in broken English’—small talk for a 30-second ride. Putin’s remarks came weeks after he met the US president in Alaska, which concluded without any agreement on ending the Russia-Ukraine war.

During his interaction with reporters, he also mentioned US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, who has travelled to Russia several times in 2025 to try to strike a deal over Ukraine. He said that the critiques of Witkoff simply dislike Trump's position: “The war party always attacks the peace party.”

Putin on ‘security guarantees’ to Ukraine

On being asked about Washington’s efforts and the speculations now that a formula exists of “security guarantees in exchange for territories,” the Russian president said, “No, we have never raised the issue in this way, nor have we ever discussed it in such terms.”

“Security guarantees are a natural necessity, as I often stress. We proceed from the fact that every country should have a security system, and Ukraine is no exception. But this is not connected to any swaps, especially those of territories,” he added.

Putin on Trump’s Victory Day post

While reacting to Trump’s Victory Day post, the Kremlin leader said that he has a sense of humor. This comes after Trump accused Chinese President Xi Jinping of conspiring against Washington with the leaders of Russia and North Korea.

The remarks of the US president came as China hosted world leaders at its largest-ever Victory Day parade in Beijing on Wednesday - a showcase of China's military might. In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote: "Please give my warmest regards to Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un as you conspire against the United States of America."

Trump-Putin Alaska Talks

Trump, who had pledged confidently to bring about an end to the Russia-Ukraine war on his first day back in the White House, failed to secure an agreement from Putin to end the war. He fell short in his most significant move yet to stop the bloodshed, even after rolling out the red carpet for the man who started it.

“There’s no deal until there’s a deal,” the U.S. president said, after Putin claimed they had hammered out an “understanding” on Ukraine and warned Europe not to “torpedo the nascent progress.” Trump had said he would call Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders to brief them on the talks.

The US president had offered Putin both a carrot and a stick, issuing threats of punishing economic sanctions on Russia while also extending a warm welcome at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, but he appeared to walk away without any concrete progress on ending the war in Ukraine, now in its fourth year.