Putin Claims ‘Understandings’ Reached with Trump Could Pave Way to Peace in Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin asserted that he and U.S. President Donald Trump reached significant “understandings” during their August summit in Alaska, which he believes may open a path toward resolving the war in Ukraine.

Putin made these remarks on Monday at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin, China. He indicated that he had already briefed Chinese President Xi Jinping on the outcomes of his discussion with Trump and plans to elaborate further during additional bilateral dialogues at the summit.

Putin expressed gratitude for the diplomatic efforts of China and India in seeking a resolution to the conflict.
The Russian leader reiterated his longstanding narrative that the root of the Ukraine war lies in Western attempts to expand NATO into Ukrainian territory, an influence he blamed for sparking tensions, alongside what he described as a U.S. that backed a coup in Kyiv.

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticised Putin’s claims, pointing out that Russian military activity, including intensified attacks on civilian infrastructure, continues unabated and that no actual concessions have been made to de-escalate the conflict. Observers note that despite aspirational peace rhetoric, fighting persists.

The historic Alaska summit did not yield a formal agreement, and Trump later signalled that the initiative now lies with Ukraine to initiate territorial compromises, a stance Ukraine has firmly rejected. Although the dialogue represents a rare direct channel between the two leaders, analysts caution that without concrete actions, the alleged “understandings” may remain symbolic.

As it stands, the situation remains fluid: diplomatic overtures coexist alongside relentless military engagement on the ground, and Ukrainian and Western officials remain sceptical of the veracity and substance of any claimed breakthroughs.

Sources: Reuters, Sky News, The Independent, Economic Times, Al Jazeera, BBC News