Lawmakers Split on Party Lines About Trump–Putin Summit

Republicans expressed a mix of approval and ‘cautious optimism’ about the outcome, while Democrats criticized it, saying Russia gained from the conference.

U.S. President Donald Trump greets Russian President Vladimir Putin on the tarmac after they arrived at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, on Aug. 15, 2025. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP

U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin met in Alaska on Aug. 15 to discuss an end to the Russian–Ukrainian conflict, and lawmakers’ reactions are largely falling along party lines.

The summit ended without any firm commitments to ending the conflict, with Trump commenting during a joint press conference, “There’s no deal until there’s a deal.”