Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin parted ways without revealing anything about a possible peace plan for Ukraine or announcing a ceasefire after their brief summit in Alaska.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who was not invited to Anchorage, announced Saturday that he would travel to Washington on Monday to meet with the American president, and that the latter had informed him of the "main points" of his discussions with his Russian counterpart.

During his return flight from Anchorage, Mr. Trump had a "long call" with Mr. Zelensky, according to his spokeswoman. The US president also spoke with NATO leaders, Karoline Leavitt told reporters aboard Air Force One, which landed in Washington at 0645 GMT on Saturday.

A spokeswoman for the European Commission also reported a call from Donald Trump to Mr. Zelensky and other European leaders.

The call, which included Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, lasted "just over an hour," according to the same source.

Before leaving Anchorage, the American president had described the meeting as "very productive" and Vladimir Putin as "constructive," but nothing has been revealed about their three hours of discussions at a military base in Alaska.

Donald Trump, who likes to portray himself as a decisive negotiator, assured the press during joint statements that there were "very few" points left to resolve to find a solution to the war triggered more than three years ago by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

"One of them (these points) is probably the most important," he added, but without specifying which one.

"We're not there yet, but we've made progress. There's no deal until there's a deal," warned the US president before taking off again for Washington.

Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin spent a total of six hours in Alaska.

The American president had set himself the goal of organizing a tripartite summit very quickly with the Russian head of state and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky, and of securing a ceasefire.

He did not mention any of this when he spoke to journalists alongside Vladimir Putin.

But in an interview on Fox News recorded just after the press statements, Donald Trump said that an agreement to end the war "really depends on the president" of Ukraine.

On the contrary, with his Russian counterpart, the American president no longer had the somewhat bravado tone of before the meeting, when he threatened to slam the door in the event of an impasse, or assured that with him Vladimir Putin would not "be smart".

Mr. Trump, who had threatened Russia with "very serious consequences" if it did not agree to end the war, said he was no longer considering any immediate action. "The way it happened today, I don't think I need to think about that right now," he said in response to a question from Fox News.

Mr. Putin, in the same engaging and cordial tone, said he hoped that the "understanding" reached in Alaska would bring "peace" to Ukraine.

The two men, speaking in front of a blue background reading "Pursuing Peace," had promised a press conference. But they only shook hands after finishing their speeches and left without responding to reporters.

Applause

Ukraine and the Europeans feared above all that this summit would allow Vladimir Putin to manipulate his American counterpart, who had previously raised the possibility of territorial concessions.

Donald Trump said of the Ukrainians: "Ultimately, it's up to them."

He also said he might see the Russian president again "very soon." Vladimir Putin responded by saying, in English, "Next time in Moscow," in a light-hearted tone.

"I imagine that could happen," the American president retorted, amused.

With this warm-toned summit, Putin marks a spectacular return to the international scene, as the deadliest conflict in Europe since the Second World War continues.

The Russians "continue to kill"

The main person concerned, but notably absent from this meeting, Volodymyr Zelensky had declared that he was "counting" on Donald Trump to put an end to the conflict. Russian soldiers "continue to kill on the day of negotiations," he lamented.

Russia is demanding that Ukraine cede four partially occupied regions (Donetsk, Lugansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson), in addition to Crimea annexed in 2014, and that it renounce Western arms deliveries and any membership in NATO.

This is unacceptable to kyiv, which wants an unconditional and immediate ceasefire, as well as future security guarantees.

AFP