Fox News host Howard Kurtz delivered a scathing assessment of President Donald Trump’s recent summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, marking a rare instance of criticism from within the network typically supportive of the former president. During his Sunday, August 17, broadcast of “Media Buzz,” Kurtz stated that despite some upbeat talk following Friday’s summit on ending Russia’s war in Ukraine, “it was clear not much was accomplished.”

The “Media Buzz” host elaborated on the summit’s shortcomings, noting there was no ceasefire, no details, no questions from the press, and only vague assurances that some progress was made without explaining what that progress entailed. The meeting, held in Anchorage, Alaska, concluded earlier than planned with Trump conceding he didn’t achieve the peace deal he had been pursuing for Russia and Ukraine.

Trump remained ambiguous during a joint press conference with Putin following the nearly three-hour session, saying that many points were agreed to while acknowledging he didn’t reach his goal.

Kurtz gave Trump credit for not overselling what happened, or more precisely, what didn’t happen at the meeting. The Fox News host observed that the White House had made efforts to dramatically lower expectations in the days leading up to the summit as it became clear Trump would not be able to negotiate a deal both Russia and Ukraine would agree to.

The meeting marked the first time the Russian leader had set foot on U.S. soil in a decade, with Trump welcoming Putin on a red carpet upon his arrival. This diplomatic gesture occurred despite Putin’s continued bombardment of Ukraine, with the latest round of attacks on August 17 killing at least 10 people in the country that Russia illegally invaded.

Kurtz highlighted Trump’s subsequent outburst on Truth Social Sunday morning, August 17, when the president raged against negative coverage of the summit. Trump declared that fake news violently distorts the truth when it comes to him, insisting he had a great meeting in Alaska while lashing out at media outlets for their coverage.

During his “Media Buzz” program, Kurtz noted that media reaction to the Alaska session varied sharply, but much of it was negative. He asked guest Rich Lowry, editor-in-chief of the conservative National Review, whether he viewed the summit as a setback for Trump, given the heavily negative coverage even from sources that ordinarily support the president.

Lowry acknowledged that Putin moved the ball somewhat in his direction by postponing ceasefire discussions and getting Trump to stop threatening secondary sanctions and harsher measures. However, he maintained a wait-and-see approach, noting that such diplomatic efforts cannot be judged too quickly.

Former Biden aide Meghan Hays, another guest on the program, criticized Trump for allowing Putin to receive red carpet treatment both metaphorically and literally. She argued that the U.S. had effectively validated Putin and positioned America as an ally of Russia rather than an ally of Ukraine and NATO partners.

The summit’s lack of concrete results became more apparent when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the White House the following day. Zelenskyy and top European officials maintained that only Russia can end the war and that Ukraine would not surrender the Donbas region, home to more than 200,000 people.

General Wesley Clark, speaking on “Media Buzz,” explained the strategic importance of the Donbas region, noting that once Russia moves past it, there would be a straight shot to Kyiv, leaving the Ukrainian defenders in a precarious position against the far larger Russian war machine.

Reports indicated that Fox News had confirmed Trump was going along with a Putin plan that includes several costly concessions, including abandoning a ceasefire and potentially ceding the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine. Secretary of State Marco Rubio pushed back on these reports, stating that such decisions would ultimately require Ukrainian agreement.

The criticism from Kurtz represents a notable departure from typical Fox News coverage of Trump’s diplomatic efforts, highlighting the perceived failures of a summit that was intended to make progress toward ending the conflict in Ukraine. Putin left the meeting with no new sanctions imposed on his country, despite Trump having threatened such measures for months prior to the summit.