Alaska: If US President Donald Trump had been in power in 2022, the Russia-Ukraine conflict would likely never have happened, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday, echoing a claim made several times by his American counterpart, who blames his predecessor, Joe Biden, for the war.
At a joint press conference following nearly three hours of talks with Trump, Putin said that in 2022 he had warned then-US President Joe Biden against letting tensions between the two nations reach a point of no return. “Today, when President Trump says had he been the President back then, there would have been no war, and I am quite sure it would indeed be so,” he said.
He added, “During the last contact with the previous administration in 2022, I tried to convince my previous American colleague that the situation should not be brought to the point of no return when it comes to hostilities. I said it directly back then that it is a big mistake.” Putin said that Friday’s negotiations had been useful and were held in a constructive atmosphere.
“Our negotiations have been held in a constructive atmosphere of mutual respect. We had very narrow negotiations that were quite useful. I would like to thank my American counterpart once again for the proposal to travel out here to Alaska. It only makes sense that we’ve met here because our countries, though separated by the oceans, are close neighbours,” he said.
Breaking Russia Ukraine Peace Deal News! President Trump Announces "Productive Meeting" That Made "Good Progress" But A Final Peace Deal Has Yet To Be Finalized.
— Alex Jones (@RealAlexJones) August 15, 2025
Putin and Trump Held a Joint Press Conference To Update The World On The Joint Peace Talks pic.twitter.com/29ZmMn9BRc
He added that although the International Date Line separates them, Russia and the US are geographically close, making the meeting feel like visiting a neighbour.
“So when we met, when I came out of the plane, I said, ‘Good Afternoon, dear neighbour! Very good to see you in good health.’ I think that is very neighbourly. I think that’s some kind words that we can say to each other. We are separated by the Strait of Bering, though there are only two islands between the Russian Island and the US Island; they are only 4km apart. We are close neighbours and it’s a fact,” he said.
Putin also pointed to Alaska’s historical importance as shared ground between the US and Russia, recalling its role during World War II as a bridge for moving military equipment from the US to the USSR.
“It’s also important that Alaska has to do with our common heritage and common history between Russia and the US, and many positive events have to do with that territory. Still, there is tremendous cultural heritage back from Russia and America. For example, orthodox churches and more than 700 geographical names of Russian origin,” he said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed hope that his agreement with President Trump will pave the way for peace in Ukraine, urging Kiev and European capitals to support the effort without interference. https://t.co/DDHH7T9W3l pic.twitter.com/MgGRLuVw8L
— CBS News (@CBSNews) August 15, 2025
“During the Second World War, it was here in Alaska that the origin of the legendary airbridge for the supply of military aircraft and other equipment under the land lease programme. It was a dangerous and treacherous route. Over the vast emptiness of ice, however, the pilots of both countries did everything to bring close to victory. They risked their lives and gave it all for their community,” he added.
Putin recounted how soldiers from both countries fought together with common enemies in a spirit of camaraderie. “I was just in the city of Magadan, and there was a memorial there which was dedicated to the Russian and US pilots. There are two flags there- the US flag and the Russian flag. I know that here, as well, there was a memorial. There is a military burial place several kilometres away from here. So many pilots are buried here who died during the dangerous mission. We are thankful to the citizens and the government in the West for taking care of their memory. I think that’s more than noble. We will always remember other historical examples when our countries defeated common enemies together in the spirit of battle camaraderie. They supported each other and facilitated each other. I am sure that this heritage will help us rebuild and foster mutually beneficial and equal ties,” he noted.
Putin admitted that US-Russia relations are at a record low but stressed that he and Trump had held candid phone conversations.
“At this new stage, even during the hardest conditions, it is known that there have been no summits between Russia and the US in four years. That’s a long time. This time was very hard for bilateral relations, and let’s be frank- they have fallen to the lowest point since the Cold War. I think that’s not benefiting our countries and the world as a whole. Sooner or later, we have to amend the situation to move on from the confrontation to dialogue. In this case, a personal meeting between the heads of state has been long overdue. Naturally, the condition of serious and painstaking work. This work has been done in general. President Trump and me have a very good direct contact. We have spoken multiple times. We spoke frankly on the phone,” he said.
Putin also noted that Trump’s Special Envoy, Steve Witkoff, had travelled several times to Russia for talks. “And the Special Envoy of President Trump, Mr Witkoff, travelled down to Russia several times. Our advisors and heads of foreign ministries kept in touch all the time. We knew fully well that one of the central issues was the situation in Ukraine,” he said.
In Russia, the summit between Putin and Trump was received with great enthusiasm. Russian media were ecstatic when the Russian leader was applauded by the US president as a red carpet was rolled out for him at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, CNN reported.
