Putin on Trump's No-War Claim: 'I Can Confirm That.' Then, in English: 'And Next Time in Moscow' (August 15, 2025)

At the end of his summit with President Donald Trump in Alaska, Russian President Vladimir Putin backed one of Trump’s signature claims. “Today, when President Trump saying that if he was the President back then, there would be no war, and I’m quite sure that it would indeed be so. I can confirm that,” Putin said in Anchorage on Aug. 15, 2025, according to the transcript published by the American Presidency Project [1].

Then, as Trump thanked him, Putin switched to English. “And next time in Moscow,” he said [1].

“Oh, that’s an interesting one,” Trump answered, as the room laughed. “I don’t know. I’ll get a little heat on that one. But I could see it possibly happening.” [1]

The video above shows the leaders’ statements in Anchorage on Aug. 15, 2025. Quotes are from the American Presidency Project’s transcripts and the White House pool reports [1][2][3].

”Good Afternoon, Dear Neighbor”

The day began on the tarmac. “The two leaders walked down the red carpets that had been rolled up to their respective planes and met where the carpets came to a T, with Trump arriving to the spot first and clapping as Putin approached,” the pool reporter wrote. “The two leaders stepped onto the riser as a flyover of military aircraft (B-2s and F-22s) passed overhead.” [2]

“Your pooler has also been told it was just POTUS and Putin riding in the Beast earlier for the drive from the tarmac to the meeting site,” the pool report said [2].

Putin described the greeting. “So, when we’ve met, when I came out of the plane and I said: ‘Good afternoon, dear neighbor. Very good to see you in good health and to see you alive,’ I think that is very neighborly,” he said [1].

He thanked Americans for honoring Soviet pilots who died on the World War II Lend-Lease air route that began in Alaska. “The Soviet pilots are buried there who died during that dangerous mission. We’re thankful to the citizens and the Government of the U.S. for carefully taking care of their memory,” Putin said [1].

”I Tried to Convince My Previous American Colleague”

Putin then turned to the Biden years. “I’d like to remind you that in 2022, during the last contact with a previous administration, I tried to convince my previous American colleague that it should not—the situation should not be brought to the point of no return when it would come to hostilities. And I said it quite directly back then that it’s a big mistake,” he said [1].

“I think that overall, me and President Trump have built a very good, businesslike, and trustworthy contact,” Putin said [1].

”No Deal Until There’s a Deal”

Trump called the talks productive. “There were many, many points that we agreed on—most of them, I would say. A couple of big ones that we haven’t quite gotten there, but we’ve made some headway. So there’s no deal until there’s a deal,” he said [1].

“I will call up NATO in a little while. I will call up the various people that I think are appropriate. And I’ll, of course, call up President Zelenskyy and tell him about today’s meeting. It’s ultimately up to them,” Trump said [1].

”He Knew It Was a Hoax”

Trump said the Russia probe of his first term got in the way. “We were interfered with by the ‘Russia, Russia, Russia’ hoax that made it a little bit tougher to deal with, but he understood it,” he said. “He knew it was a hoax, and I knew it was a hoax. But what was done was very criminal.” [1]

“I’m in This to Stop the Killing”

On the flight to Alaska, Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One what he wanted. “I want to see a ceasefire. This has not to do with Europe. Europe’s not telling me what to do, but they’re going to be involved in the process obviously, as well as Zelensky,” he said, according to the pool report. “I want the killing to stop. I’m in this to stop the killing.” [2]

“Look, Vladimir Putin wanted to take all of Ukraine. If I wasn’t president, he would right now be taking all of Ukraine. And he’s not going to do it,” Trump said [2].

“I’m not doing this for my health, OK? I don’t need it. I’d like to focus on our country. But I’m doing this to save a lot of lives,” he said [2].

In Anchorage, he set out the goal. “We’re going to stop, really, 5-, 6-, 7,000—thousands of people a week from being killed. And President Putin wants to see that as much as I do,” Trump said [1].

By the Numbers

4 years: since the last Russia-U.S. summit, per Putin [1].
4 kilometers: between Russian and U.S. islands in the Bering Strait, per Putin [1].
7,011: people Trump said were lost in the war the week before [2].
2+ hours: how long the three-on-three meeting had run as of 1:25 p.m., per the pool [2].

What Happened Next

Trump called Zelenskyy and NATO on the way home. “President Trump had a lengthy call during the flight back to DC with President Zelensky of Ukraine, press secretary Karoline Leavitt told the pool,” and then got on the phone with NATO leaders [2].

Zelenskyy and Europe’s leaders came to the White House. Three days later, Trump wrote on Truth Social: “At the conclusion of the meetings, I called President Putin, and began the arrangements for a meeting, at a location to be determined, between President Putin and President Zelenskyy. After that meeting takes place, we will have a Trilat, which would be the two Presidents, plus myself.” [3]

For that White House meeting, see HYGO News’ page on Aug. 18, 2025. For Trump and Zelenskyy at Pope Francis’ funeral, see the page on April 26, 2025.