AMNA NAWAZ: Welcome to the "News Hour."

The meeting between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin at an American military base in Anchorage, Alaska, ended with no apparent resolution to the war in Ukraine, a lofty goal that Mr. Trump set as his objective for today's summit.

GEOFF BENNETT: It was the first time Putin, who has been indicted for war crimes in Ukraine, has set foot in the U.S. in a decade.

After meeting for about 2.5 hours, the two presidents appeared briefly before the press to read statements, and both left Alaska a short time later.

Nick Schifrin is in Anchorage tonight and begins our coverage.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Just south of the Arctic Circle today, a possible thaw in normally frosty U.S.-Russia relations.

For years in the West, Vladimir Putin has been a pariah.

Today, he was a passenger in President Trump's limousine.

But in a joint press appearance, President Trump described today's progress as uneven.

DONALD TRUMP, President of the United States: 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.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Earlier today, with FOX News' Bret Baier, President Trump's goal was explicit.

DONALD TRUMP: I won't be happy if I walk away without some form of a cease-fire.

NICK SCHIFRIN: But President Putin made clear he had not made that agreement or any deal over Ukraine.

VLADIMIR PUTIN, Russian President (through translator): We're convinced that in order to -- to make the settlement lasting and long term, we need to eliminate all the primary roots, the primary causes of that conflict.

NICK SCHIFRIN: That's a reference to caps on the size of Ukraine's military and its ability to join Western organizations, including NATO.

In fact, Russia arrived in Alaska confident.

Its soldiers have achieved a significant advance near a key logistics hub in Eastern Ukraine.

And, publicly, Moscow is demanding the map redrawn, with international recognition of Russian control of Crimea and four Ukrainian regions, including land that Ukraine still holds.

Russia has suggested giving up small territory it controls in other regions.

President Trump said he will talk land swaps with Putin, but said earlier today the final decision was not his.

DONALD TRUMP: They will be discussed, but I have got to let Ukraine make that decision.

And I think they will make a proper decision.

But I'm not here to negotiate for Ukraine.

I'm here to get them at a table.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Putin also wanted to expand the conversation, including by proposing an extension to the U.S. and Russia's sole remaining arms control treaty and bilateral economic investments.

VLADIMIR PUTIN (through translator): Sooner or later, we have to amend the situation to move on from the confrontation to dialogue.

NICK SCHIFRIN: The U.S. delegation included Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, but President Trump said earlier today that larger conversation with Putin had to wait.

DONALD TRUMP: He's bringing a lot of businesspeople from Russia, and that's good.

I like that, because they want to do business, but they're not doing business until we get the war stopped.

The war's got to stop, and the killing's got to stop.

He's a leader of his country.

I say it's better to get along with Russia than not.

NICK SCHIFRIN: For years, President Trump has envisioned a better relationship with Putin and Russia.

DONALD TRUMP: Vladimir, thank you very much.

NICK SCHIFRIN: The two met six times in Trump's first term, most infamously in Helsinki, where Trump sided with the former KGB spy over his own intelligence community on Russia's 2016 election interference.

DONALD TRUMP: I have great confidence in my intelligence people, but I will tell you that President Putin was extremely strong and powerful in his denial today.

He just said it's not Russia.

I will say this.

I don't see any reason why it would be.

You should have never started it.

You could have made a deal.

NICK SCHIFRIN: This term began with President Trump blaming Ukraine for the war, temporarily cutting off military and offensive intelligence help, and scolding Zelenskyy.

DONALD TRUMP: You don't have the cards.

You're buried there.

Your people are dying.

NICK SCHIFRIN: But after what Zelenskyy called a historic meeting in the Vatican, and Russia relentlessly targeted civilian areas, President Trump accused Putin of -- quote -- "going crazy."

DONALD TRUMP: I have been hearing so much talk.

It's all talk.

It's all talk, and then missiles go into Kyiv and kill 60 people.

It's got to stop.

It's got to stop.

NICK SCHIFRIN: The president's roller-coaster rhetoric continued this week.

DONALD TRUMP: I was a little bothered by the fact that Zelenskyy was saying, well, I have to get constitutional approval.

I mean, he's got approval to go into war.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Leading to today's landmark meeting, even if the progress is still unknown.

DONALD TRUMP: We'll speak to you very soon, and probably see you again very soon.

Thank you very much, Vladimir.

VLADIMIR PUTIN: Next time in Moscow.

DONALD TRUMP: Ooh, that's an interesting one.

I don't know.

I will get a little heat on that one, but I could see it possibly happening.

Thank you very much.