Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday that the war in Ukraine would not have started if Donald Trump had been the President of the United States in 2022.

After meeting Trump in Alaska, Putin thanked him for cooperation and for what he described as a “friendly tone of conversation.” He admitted that relations between Washington and Moscow had faced a rough period, but stressed that it was time to “rectify the situation.”

Talks as a New Beginning

Putin expressed optimism that the agreements discussed with Trump could become the foundation for ending the war in Ukraine and improving US-Russia ties. He confirmed that their next meeting would take place in Moscow.

At the same time, he warned against interference, saying he hoped Ukraine and European countries would not try to “sabotage” the progress made during the Alaska talks. He added that “mutual understanding” was key to achieving peace.

Trump Calls Meeting Productive

U.S. President Donald Trump said on August 15 that the two leaders did not reach a formal agreement on ending Russia’s war in Ukraine, despite holding a nearly three-hour summit in Alaska. However, he described the discussions as “very productive.”

“There were many, many points that we agreed on,” Trump told reporters at a joint press conference with Putin. “I would say a couple of big ones that we haven’t quite got there, but we’ve made some headway. So there’s no deal until there’s a deal.”

Both leaders spoke briefly to the press after the summit but did not take any questions.