US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin have touched down in Alaska for a closely watched summit aimed at seeking a path to end Moscow’s war in Ukraine, a conflict that has claimed tens of thousands of lives since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Both leaders arrived separately at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage on Friday, with Putin’s aircraft landing just minutes after Trump’s Air Force One. The rare meeting marks Putin’s first visit to Western territory since launching the invasion, and the first face-to-face encounter between the two leaders since Trump returned to the White House for his second term.
Originally expected to begin with a one-on-one meeting, plans have been revised. The White House confirmed that President Trump will not meet Putin alone. Instead, he will be accompanied at all stages by senior advisers, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced the change during a briefing aboard Air Force One, stating, “Out of an abundance of caution and to ensure full transparency, the President will engage with President Putin in the presence of his national security team throughout the discussions.”
The talks are scheduled to begin around 11:30 local time (19:30 GMT / 20:30 BST), with both leaders expected to meet briefly at the foot of Putin’s aircraft before moving into formal negotiations.
A working lunch will follow, attended by additional officials from both delegations. The agenda is expected to focus on ceasefire proposals, prisoner exchanges, and potential diplomatic routes to de-escalate the ongoing war, though analysts remain sceptical about the prospects for a breakthrough.
The choice of Alaska as the summit location, a US state geographically closer to Russia than any other, is seen as a symbolic gesture of proximity and neutrality. The remote setting also offers heightened security and limited public access, reducing the risk of protests or disruptions.
Trump has previously claimed he could “end the war in a day,” though he has offered few concrete details. Meanwhile, the Kremlin maintains that its objectives in Ukraine remain unchanged.
The international community is watching the summit closely. NATO leaders and European allies have urged caution, warning against any deal that might compromise Ukraine’s sovereignty.
As the world waits for outcomes, the images of Trump and Putin meeting on Alaskan soil, the first such encounter in years, underscore the high stakes of diplomacy in an era of renewed geopolitical tension.
Source: AFP, BBC