Trump, Putin conclude historic meeting

rival on American soil and a greeting of applause from the U.S. president.

- 

It was an extraordinary welcome for Putin, whose government has called the United States an “enemy state” and who faces an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court over war crimes in Ukraine. Putin's war has led to 1.4 million casualties, according to independent analysts, including 1 million dead and wounded among Russian soldiers alone.

At the end of their news conference, Putin suggested Trump visit Moscow for their next summit. Trump said he would consider it.

The high-stakes summit came amid ongoing Russian strikes on civilian targets. Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, condemned Russian forces for striking a market in Sumy mere hours before the Alaska summit.

“On the day of negotiations, the Russians are killing as well,” Zelensky said in a statement. “And that speaks volumes.”

Zelensky was not invited to the Anchorage negotiations. But Trump said he hoped his meeting Friday would lead to direct talks “very shortly.”

The Ukrainian president met with Britain’s prime minister in recent days, and will meet with French President Emmanuel Macron after the Alaska summit concludes.

Speaking with reporters aboard Air Force One on his way to Anchorage, Trump suggested he had planned to take a tougher line with Putin, threatening to walk if he didn’t see immediate progress.

“I want to see a ceasefire,” Trump said. “I don’t know if it’s going to be today, but I’m not going to be happy if it’s not today.”