One day before the summit in Alaska, Moscow expressed its support for the US efforts. Kremlin leader Putin did not respond to Trump's threats of the previous day.

According to a Kremlin statement, Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed his support for US efforts to end the war against Ukraine:"The US government (...) is, in my view, making very energetic and sincere efforts to end the fighting, get out of the crisis, and reach agreements that satisfy all parties involved," Putin is quoted as saying.

These efforts could also create long-term conditions for peace in Europe and the world as a whole,"if we move on to agreements in the area of strategic offensive arms control in the next stages," the Kremlin chief reportedly said. Strategic offensive arms refers to intercontinental nuclear weapons. The area of nuclear armament is almost unregulated between Russia and the United States because treaties have expired or been terminated.

Kremlin announces details of Alaska meeting

It was Putin's first statement since US President Donald Trump spoke with Ukraine's other Western allies the previous day. According to the Kremlin, Putin and Trump will meet at a US base in Alaska on Friday at around 11:30 a.m. (local time, 9:30 p.m. CEST). The plan is for Trump and Putin to meet individually, accompanied only by translators. There will also be a working breakfast for the two presidents and their negotiating delegations.

Putin's foreign policy adviser, Yuri Ushakov, told Russian news agencies that a joint press conference between Putin and Trump is planned after the talks. In addition to Ushakov, the Russian delegation will include Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Defense Minister Andrei Belousov, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov, and Kirill Dmitriev, who is in charge of the US negotiations.

It is not yet known who will participate from the US side alongside Trump.

Economic relations also on the agenda

"It's probably obvious to everyone that the central topic will be resolving the Ukraine crisis," Ushakov said. According to Ushakov, Putin and Trump also plan to discuss the"huge untapped potential" of Russian-American economic relations as well as "urgent international and regional issues."

Ushakov did not address Trump's threats if Russia refused to agree to an end to the fighting. The US president had threatened on Wednesday with"grave consequences" if Putin did not agree to peace. He left open what those threats might be.

The summit at the US military base Elmendorf-Richardson near the city of Anchorage, Alaska, is the first meeting between a sitting US president and a Russian president since 2021.

Allies explore security guarantees for Ukraine

The European Commission welcomed US President Trump's willingness to participate in security guarantees for Ukraine, a spokesperson for the Brussels-based authority stated. French President Emmanuel Macron stated on Wednesday that Trump had signaled a similar willingness to European politicians. The US media outlet Politico also reported on a similar offer from Trump.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also stated that he had discussed possible security guarantees with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in London, where the Ukrainian was received on Thursday morning. He did not provide details. He added that everything depends on whether the US truly succeeds in"persuading Russia to stop the killing and engage in real, substantive diplomacy."

According to Zelensky, Ukraine can also count on further support from European allies, who have pledged to purchase US weapons for a total of $1.5 billion. The money comes from the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, Zelensky wrote on Platform X. The mechanism"really strengthens our defense." Berlin says it is contributing a third, or $500 million (just under €430 million).

Fighting continues despite peace efforts

According to consultations between Ukraine's Western allies on Wednesday, the stated goal is to achieve a ceasefire in Ukraine, which was attacked by Russia in 2022. However, Kyiv will not be represented at the negotiations.

Meanwhile, the Russian war of aggression continues unabated. Troops have captured the villages of Iskra and Shcherbynivka in the Donetsk region, the Russian Defense Ministry announced. The Russian army had reported some territorial gains in recent weeks. At least two deaths were reported from Kherson. Ukraine also continued its drone attacks, and Russian authorities reported at least 13 injuries.