The net effect of the Alaska summit was to give President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia a free pass to continue his war against his neighbor indefinitely without further penalty, pending talks on a broader peace deal.

In a few short hours in Alaska, Vladimir Putin managed to convince Donald Trump that a Ukraine ceasefire was not the way to go, stave off U.S. sanctions, and spectacularly shatter years of Western attempts to isolate the Russian president.

For Russia, the results of the Alaska summit between President Donald Trump and President Vladimir Putin marked a turning point in U.S.-Russian relations underlined by the United States subsequently abandoning its demand for a halt in fighting in Ukraine.

President Trump and Russian President Putin drove off together in the presidential vehicle, "The Beast," as the leaders arrived in Anchorage, Alaska for a summit to discuss the Ukraine war. Putin could be seen laughing as the two leaders drove off for a historic summit which is expected to last hours.