Trump and Putin meet in Alaska for high-stakes Ukraine talks at Elmendorf Air Force Base, marking Putin's first Western visit. Photo/X.
United States President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Alaska on Friday for critical discussions on the ongoing war in Ukraine. Both leaders were seen exiting their respective aircraft and exchanging greetings with handshakes at the military base, signaling the start of what is expected to be an intense negotiation session.
The two shared a laugh while the leaders were sitting in the car en route the meeting.
This marks Putin’s first visit to Western soil since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
The summit will take place at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska’s largest military installation, where the leaders are scheduled to hold closed-door talks. The discussions are aimed at finding a resolution to the conflict in Ukraine, although details of the agenda have been kept confidential.
President Trump is accompanied by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the US special envoy to Russia, Steve Witkoff, highlighting the high-level nature of the meeting.
Ahead of the summit, Russian Ambassador to the United States Alexander Darchiev emphasized that Moscow had “no over-inflated expectations,” noting that the country anticipated “constant and gradual progress” from the talks rather than immediate breakthroughs.
Before departing for Alaska, President Trump made it clear that he expects rapid action to halt the violence in Ukraine. Speaking aboard Air Force One, he said, “I want to see a ceasefire, rapidly. I don’t know if it’s going to be today, but I’m not going to be happy if it’s not today. Everyone said it can’t be today, but I’m just saying I want the killing to stop.”
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
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