The meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin at Elmendorf-Richardson Air Force Base in Alaska marked the Russian president's return to Western territory on Friday since the start of the war in Ukraine. The two leaders greeted each other with two handshakes in front of the press and boarded an official car together before starting a summit whose outcome has the international community on high alert. The formal gesture symbolized the start of negotiations that could be decisive for the future of the conflict in Ukraine, an event closely followed by leaders around the world.
Upon arrival, Putin, accompanied by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Foreign Minister Yuri Ushakov, was greeted by Trump on a red carpet rolled out on the tarmac. According to the Kremlin, the Russian delegation was completed after the original agenda, which had called for an exclusive conversation between the two presidents assisted only by interpreters, was modified. Finally, the US president opted to add his top diplomat, Marco Rubio, and special envoy Steve Witkoff, according to White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt, to the journalists who traveled aboard Air Force One.
Speaking to reporters, Trump stressed his mutual respect for the Russian leader and acknowledged a good personal understanding."We understand each other well," the president said during the flight to Alaska. However, he stressed that the meeting could end quickly if Putin shows no willingness to negotiate. The US president, who recently blamed his Democratic predecessor Joe Biden for the war, also lowered expectations, stating that the meeting would be a"testing meeting" and estimating that the summit has only a "25%" chance of failure.
For his part, Putin avoided commenting on the possible outcome. Lavrov told reporters that Russia “does not make any pre-determined assumptions” and appeared wearing a T-shirt that read “USSR” in Cyrillic characters. The Russian president is crossing the Bering Strait for the first time since the start of the conflict, at a time when Moscow controls approximately a fifth of Ukraine and the death toll from the war is estimated to be in the tens of thousands.
The choice of Alaska for the summit holds historical significance. Russia sold this territory to the United States in the 19th century, and the Kremlin has repeatedly cited this as an example of territorial exchanges. The location also offers logistical advantages, as the United States is not a signatory to the International Criminal Court, which has an active arrest warrant against Putin for alleged war crimes.
The Ukrainian conflict remains at the center of the agenda. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky publicly rejected pressure to cede territory. "It is time to end the war, and the necessary steps must be taken by Russia. We count on the United States," he emphasized on social media this Friday. The White House announced that, after the meeting, Trump plans to quickly consult with European leaders and Zelensky on the issues discussed. The Ukrainian leader called the summit a"personal victory" for Putin, while several European leaders expressed concern, as they have so far maintained that they will not accept negotiations on the future of the Eurasian country without the direct participation of kyiv.
Before traveling to Alaska, Trump also held talks with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, one of Putin's closest allies who allowed the use of his territory for the military offensive against Ukraine. Following the bilateral meeting, the U.S. delegation is expected to have lunch with other senior officials and review the summit's results before issuing an official statement.
