Sky News asked a psychologist and body language expert to analyse what was seen at the Alaska summit. According to Peter Collett, there was a significant difference in Donald Trump's demeanor when he first met Vladimir Putin on the red carpet and when they later appeared before the press together after the talks.

At the airport, the two leaders greeted each other with friendly pats on the back—Collett calls them “status-reminiscent gestures”—and gave a clear impression of friendship, goodwill, and togetherness. Trump was clearly focused on keeping Putin by his side, so the scene suggested a reunion between two old acquaintances who were overjoyed to see each other again, a stark contrast to the way the US president usually behaves with other heads of state.

But at the press conference, Collett said, we saw a very different Trump. His body language was full of little signs that he was “not a happy bunny.” Trump barely looked at Putin as he spoke because “he really didn’t want to look at Putin because Putin reminded him that he couldn’t reach an agreement on these terms,” the expert said.

The pursed lips were also a telltale sign, he said: “a gesture of self-control,” which showed that Trump was thinking things he didn’t dare say.

Collett believes the US president appeared disappointed, but was trying to convince himself – and the public – that there was hope for future results. However, his body language said otherwise: “Well, damn, that didn’t go as well as I had hoped.”