With no strategic breakthroughs, attention shifted to the optics of the meeting. The Russian leader, blamed for a devastating war of aggression, was treated to a lavish reception. American soldiers rolled out a red carpet, Trump greeted him warmly, and the two leaders rode together in the presidential limousine. Putin laughed as the car pulled away, a striking image for a man shunned internationally since the invasion began.

For many in Ukraine, it was a deeply unsettling sight.

“Red carpets are common for state visits, but not for someone responsible for so much death,” said Kyiv lawyer Maria Drachova, who described the whole scene as staged to please Putin. “The rational world is behaving irrationally.”

Putin’s plane was escorted into Alaska by fighter jets, and as he strolled down the carpet with Trump, a B-2 bomber flew overhead. Watching from Ukraine, political analyst Oleksandr Kovalenko called it the legitimisation of a war criminal. “There was no need for this pomp. It should have been restrained and minimal,” he said.

Inside the base, reporters shouted questions, including one asking Putin if he would stop killing civilians. He smirked and pretended not to hear—a gesture that stung for Ukrainians like Serhii Orlyk from war-torn Donetsk, who has lost both his home and relatives. “I understand there must be protocol, but this was an unpleasant spectacle—especially his smirks,” he said.

After talks, Trump let Putin speak first at the press conference. The Russian leader avoided mentioning how the war began, but looked pleased with the summit. Trump spoke briefly and without announcing any deal, handing the spotlight to Putin.

Analysts noted it was already a major win for Putin simply to be welcomed like a head of state, despite being wanted internationally. While the approach is unlikely to inspire European leaders to follow suit, Ukraine’s President Zelensky emphasised the need for European involvement in future talks to prevent undue influence over Trump.

Some speculated that the warm welcome might have been a tactic to flatter Putin into concessions. But others believe it was simply Trump’s personal choice—lacking any clear strategy.

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