After the conclusion of the historic Alaska summit, the presidents of Russia and the US held a press conference with the media. Although the leaders of the two countries did not discuss any specific outcomes, they clearly outlined their positions on the issue of Ukraine.In this regard, President Putin’s statement was particularly noteworthy.
He said that the situation in Ukraine is entirely connected to the fundamental threat facing Russia, and if the United States truly wants the war to end, then that threat must be eliminated.
“We understand that the war in Ukraine must end. However, if we want to reach a long-term and stable agreement, then all the causes that gave rise to the conflict must be eradicated,” Putin declared.
The president did not specify what he meant by “the causes to be eradicated,” but Western media speculate that Putin is demanding Ukraine’s demilitarization and a complete freeze on its NATO membership ambitions.
While speaking about Ukraine, the Russian president also emphasized that the country’s security must be guaranteed. He expressed readiness to cooperate with the United States in this regard.“Of course, we are ready to begin work on Ukraine’s security guarantees, and I believe that the agreement we reached today will pave the way for Ukraine toward peace,” the Russian president noted.At the beginning of the press conference, Putin also commented on the choice of Alaska as the meeting venue, saying: “It is important, because Alaska is connected to a significant part of the shared history between Russia and the United States. Many positive events.”
“Our negotiations took place in a constructive and mutually respectful atmosphere. They were very thorough and useful. Once again, I would like to thank my American colleague for the invitation to Alaska. It is absolutely logical to meet here. Although an ocean separates our countries, in reality, we are close neighbors.”
It is worth noting that neither Putin nor Trump specified the details of the agreement they mentioned, although the American president stated that he would immediately inform Western allies, including Zelensky, of the results of the talks.
