US President Donald Trump is on his way to Alaska, where he will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Air Force One took off for Anchorage shortly after 3:00 p.m. Bulgarian time.
The flight to Elmendorf-Richardson Air Force Base is expected to last about seven hours, the Wall Street Journal reported.
“High Stakes!!!” Trump wrote on Truth Social, shortly before leaving the White House.
The University of Alaska Anchorage expects hundreds of Russian delegates arriving for the meeting between Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin to be accommodated in student dormitories, The Independent reported, BGNES writes.
"It is possible that up to 750 people from the American and Russian delegations will stay on campus," Vice Chancellor Ryan Buchholt said.
The university can accommodate around 12,000 people, with this week marking the start of the academic year after the summer break.
The meeting will take place at the military base about 10 minutes from Anchorage, and will be the first in-person meeting between the two leaders since 2018. In addition to dormitories, a 5,000-capacity sports hall equipped with beds has been prepared to assist with accommodation, primarily for the Russian delegation.
"Our primary concern is the safety of everyone, whether they're from the United States, Russia or anywhere else, so that they can complete their mission and return home safely," Buchholt said. University police are working closely with state and federal authorities to secure the area.
According to university spokeswoman Katie Bender, some delegates have already arrived, and flight data shows at least one plane from Moscow has landed in Anchorage. For security reasons, the delegation's accommodations are being kept secret. Meanwhile, hotels and resorts in the area are fully booked.
The city's mayor, Suzanne LaFrance, acknowledged that finding free spaces during the height of the tourist season is a challenge, especially for such a major political event. She expressed confidence that"creative solutions" will be found.
