President Donald Trump greets Russia's President Vladimir Putin Friday, Aug. 15, 2025, at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska.

President Donald Trump greets Russia's President Vladimir Putin Friday, Aug. 15, 2025, at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska.

President Donald Trump greets Russia's President Vladimir Putin Friday, Aug. 15, 2025, at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska.

FILE - U.S. President Donald Trump meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the G-20 Summit on July 7, 2017, in Hamburg, Germany.

People hold a large Ukrainian flag during a rally in Anchorage, Alaska, Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025, ahead of a meeting between President Donald Trump and Russia's President Vladimir Putin.

Members of the media stand outside Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025, ahead of a meeting between President Donald Trump and Russia's President Vladimir Putin.

President Donald Trump talks with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin on Friday at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska.

President Donald Trump meets with Russia's President Vladimir Putin Friday, Aug. 15, 2025, at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska.

President Donald Trump and Russia's President Vladimir Putin speak during a news conference at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Friday, Aug. 15, 2025.

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska (AP) — President Donald Trump said he and Vladimir Putin didn’t reach a deal to end Russia’s war in Ukraine after meeting on Friday — despite Putin saying they had come to “an understanding” — as the two leaders offered scant details on what was discussed while heaping praise on each other.

In brief remarks as they shared a stage after meeting for about 2 1/2 hours in Alaska, Putin said he and Trump had reached an “understanding” on Ukraine and warned Europe not to “torpedo the nascent progress.”

But Trump then said, “There’s no deal until there’s a deal” and said he planned to speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders soon, to brief them on the discussions.

“We had an extremely productive meeting, and many points were agreed to,” Trump said. “And there are just a very few that are left. Some are not that significant. One is probably the most significant, but we have a very good chance of getting there.”

He continued: “We didn’t get there.”

The high-profile summit ended without a deal to end, or even pause, the brutal conflict — the largest land war in Europe since 1945 — which has raged for more than three years.

It was an abrupt ending to an otherwise friendly meeting in which a red carpet was rolled out for Putin as he landed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. The two leaders greeted each other with a handshake and a smile, and Putin even got a ride in the presidential limousine — an unusually warm reception for a U.S. adversary.

While the two leaders were still on the tarmac, reporters nearby yelled, “President Putin, will you stop killing civilians?” Russia’s leader put his hand up to his ear as though to indicate he couldn’t hear them. Trump and Putin then shared the U.S. presidential limo known as “The Beast” for a short ride to their meeting site, with Putin offering a broad smile as the vehicle rolled past the cameras.

Zelenskyy and European leaders were excluded from Trump and Putin’s discussions.

Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

PETER R. BARBER Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara, left, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, and Neil Golub at the ribbon cutting of the new M&T Center Thursday, August 14, 2025.

A day after the state’s Public Service Commission approved a rate hike that will add $600 to the annual energy bill for the average upstate household, Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara on Friday announced a bill that could overturn the move.

The Utility Rate Hike Legislative Review Act would create a window that would allow the state Legislature to review and overturn utility rate hikes approved in the last 12 months —including the National Grid increase — before they become permanent.

Under current law, the PSC has sole authority to approve rate hikes. The proposed legislation would allow state lawmakers to further scrutinize any future hikes by creaking a 60-day legislative review period.

The legislation would also allow the Legislature to rescind or reduce a rate hike by passing a resolution. The law would be applied retroactively to the last 12 months, allowing the National Grid increase to be reviewed.

“This isn’t about stopping future rate hikes — it’s about making sure this one gets the scrutiny it deserves,” Santabarbara, D-Rotterdam, said in a statement.........

© The Leader Herald