The long-anticipated summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin is now underway at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, a dramatic meeting of two global leaders at a pivotal moment in the war in Ukraine.
Less than an hour ago, the world watched as Trump and Putin descended from their respective aircraft and walked toward each other along a red carpet stretched between Air Force One and the Russian presidential jet. The two shook hands, exchanged brief smiles, and posed for a carefully staged photo op, a moment symbolising diplomacy, yet stripped of words.
No opening remarks were made. No questions from the press were answered.
As the leaders stood side by side against a backdrop reading “Alaska 2025” and “Pursuing Peace,” a flyover of US military aircraft, including fighter jets and what appeared to be a B-2 stealth bomber — roared across the Alaskan sky, underscoring the gravity and tension of the occasion.
In a gesture of unusual symbolism, Putin joined Trump in the US presidential limousine as they departed the tarmac together, a powerful image of temporary alliance between two leaders whose nations remain locked in geopolitical confrontation.
The formal talks are now in progress, covering not only the war in Ukraine but also broader issues of global strategic security, according to Kirill Dmitriev, a top Russian negotiator. A Russian source told state news agency TASS that discussions will extend beyond humanitarian corridors and prisoner exchanges to include nuclear arms control and energy dynamics.
Crucially, the much-anticipated one-on-one meeting between the two leaders has been scrapped. The White House confirmed that Trump will be accompanied throughout by key advisers, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff. On the Russian side, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and foreign policy aide Yury Ushakov are in attendance, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told CNN.
“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,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt had said earlier aboard Air Force One.
European officials have expressed cautious relief over the change. One senior European diplomat told CNN it was “probably a reassuring development” that the two leaders would not be left alone, a scenario that had raised concerns over backroom deals lacking oversight.
Despite the summit’s focus on peace, the reality on the ground remains grim. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Friday there were “no signals” that Russia intends to end its war, as fresh attacks were reported in cities including Kharkiv and Dnipro. “Talks mean nothing if bombs keep falling,” Zelensky said in a video address.
Meanwhile, Russian officials struck a confident tone. Lavrov told state media he believed US sanctions could ease following the summit, while Russian ambassador to the US Alexander Darchiev predicted a “positive outcome” –though he stopped short of forecasting any breakthrough.
Putin’s presence on NATO-allied soil is itself historic — and legally fraught. It marks his first visit to a Western country since the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for his alleged role in the unlawful deportation of Ukrainian children. The US, however, does not recognise the ICC’s jurisdiction, allowing the Russian leader to travel to Alaskan territory without legal hindrance.
The choice of Alaska, geographically closer to Russia than any other US state, carries Cold War echoes, evoking past superpower summits held in neutral or symbolic locations. The remote site also offers tight security and minimal public disruption.
Trump has long claimed he alone can “end the war in a day,” though he has offered no clear roadmap. The Kremlin, for its part, maintains that its objectives in Ukraine remain unchanged.
Source: AFP, CNN, BBC