Talks between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin have ended after more than two and a half hours. The leaders met in a three-on-three meeting along with top advisers a for high-stakes summit in Alaska that could determine the trajectory of the war in Ukraine and the fate of European security.

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.

By Andrea Shalal, Thomas Escritt and Tom Balmforth WASHINGTON/BERLIN (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump threatened "severe consequences" if Russia's Vladimir Putin does not agree to peace in Ukraine but also said on Wednesday that a meeting between them could swiftly be followed by a second that would include the leader of Ukraine.