At what was billed as an “historic” presidential summit, hastily put together in Alaska on Friday afternoon, the optics were as clear and overshadowing as the vast Chugach mountains glistening over Anchorage in the summer sun.

Steve Witkoff said Russia agreed in Alaska that the US and Europe could provide Ukraine with a Nato-style guarantee.

Russian President Vladimir Putin says he and President Donald Trump have reached an “understanding” on Ukraine and warned Europe not to “torpedo the nascent progress.”

Ukraine's leader is scheduled to meet with President Trump and his advisers in the Oval Office alone before an expanded meeting with European leaders.