American officials have confirmed that the upcoming meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin will take place at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, on August 15, according to reports. This will be the first in-person meeting between the two leaders in more than four years.
The decision ends a week-long search for a suitable location amid tight security requirements, limited infrastructure, and Alaska’s busy tourist season. Initially, officials explored venues in Juneau, Fairbanks, and Anchorage, but most were unavailable or unsuitable for a world summit. Some Alaskans even offered their private homes, though it is unclear if those suggestions were seriously considered. In the end, the military base in Anchorage emerged as the only viable option, despite early hesitation about hosting a Russian delegation on US military grounds.
In past decades, US-Russia summits have often been held in neutral European cities like Geneva or Vienna. However, those options were dismissed this time due to an International Criminal Court arrest warrant against Putin, which would make travel to many European countries risky for him. Putin reportedly proposed the United Arab Emirates, calling it “entirely suitable,” but Trump advisers resisted another long Middle East trip after his visit there in May.
The final choice reportedly came down to Hungary or the United States, with the Kremlin surprisingly agreeing to meet on American soil. The Alaska venue also carries historical symbolism.
White House officials say the August 15 meeting will be more of a “listening session” than a formal negotiation. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov have been handling logistics, but Trump has said he wants to “look at [Putin] across the table” to gauge his intentions directly.
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