No Document to Be Signed After Putin-Trump Alaska Summit, Says Kremlin
Lavrov mentioned that the groundwork for the meeting had already been done during the recent visit by Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff.
Russian External Affairs Minister Sergey Lavrov has dismissed the idea of predicting the outcome of Friday’s high-profile summit between Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, stating that Moscow prefers to stick to facts rather than speculation.
Speaking after arriving in Alaska ahead of the talks, Lavrov ignored Trump’s earlier comment that there was a “25% chance” the summit might fail.
“We never make any forecasts in advance,” Lavrov told Russian state television, wearing what appeared to be a T-shirt with “USSR” printed across the front.
“We are aware of our arguments and our position is clear and unambiguous. We will present it.”
Lavrov added that the groundwork for the meeting had already been laid during the recent visit by Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and expressed hope that the discussion would continue. “Much has already been achieved during Steve Witkoff’s visit — the President himself said so. Witkoff spoke on behalf of President Trump.”
“I hope today — or rather tomorrow — we will continue this very productive conversation,” Lavrov said.
Putin-Trump Summit
The Putin-Trump summit, scheduled to be held in Alaska on Friday, is being seen as a crucial moment for global diplomacy, with the potential to influence the future of the war in Ukraine and broader European security.
For Trump, the meeting is an opportunity to showcase his self-proclaimed skills as a negotiator and peacemaker. He and his supporters have long claimed he could bring the conflict to an end quickly — a promise he now has the chance to test.
For Putin, the summit provides a rare opportunity to negotiate directly with the US President on American soil. Moscow aims to secure recognition of its territorial gains, block Ukraine’s NATO ambitions, and possibly draw Kyiv back into Russia’s sphere of influence.
The summit is not free from controversy. By inviting Putin to the United States, Trump is giving the Russian leader a level of legitimacy that Western leaders have largely withheld since the invasion of Ukraine more than three years ago.
Notably, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was not invited to the summit, a decision critics say undermines the West’s principle of “nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine.” Some fear Trump might strike a deal without Kyiv’s consent.
While Trump has floated the idea of a second summit including Zelenskyy if Friday’s talks go well, the Kremlin has not agreed to such a meeting.
In an interview with Fox News Radio on Thursday, Trump acknowledged the challenges ahead, saying there was a “25% chance” the summit might fail. However, he expressed hope for a broad peace agreement — a result that aligns with Moscow’s long-standing aim for a deal that ends hostilities on its terms rather than a temporary ceasefire.
Putin, meanwhile, has resisted calls for a short-term truce, insisting instead on a halt to Western military aid and a freeze on Ukraine’s mobilisation — demands that Kyiv and its allies have rejected.
