Putin-Trump summit in Alaska: As it happened

16 August 2025

Trump told European leaders he hopes to hold a trilateral summit with Putin and Zelensky by next Friday, although it is contingent on how his talks with Zelensky go on Monday, CNN has reported. European officials also expect at least one EU leader to join the Washington meeting, though it remains unclear who, according to the news outlet.

Earlier, Axios also reported that Trump wanted a trilateral meeting “fast,” as early as August 22.

Lavrov has discussed the results of the Alaska summit in a phone call with Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry.

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto has expressed hope that the talks in Anchorage will pave the way to peace. Writing on X, he said he spoke with US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau and expressed Budapest’s “appreciation” for Trump’s efforts in settling the Ukraine conflict and “for the fact that, despite all the pressure, the meeting went ahead.”

“We hope yesterday’s talks in Alaska will open the way to peace. At the same time, we trust this will not end as it did 3.5 years ago, when Western Europeans torpedoed the Istanbul peace agreement. The process launched in Alaska must not be derailed,” Szijjarto said.

Lavrov has held a phone call with his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan, to discuss the outcome of the Alaska summit, the Russian ministry has said.

Putin reportedly told Trump on Friday he was willing to discuss security guarantees for Ukraine and “mentioned China as one of the possible guarantors,” Axios claimed, citing a source.

During a call with Zelensky and European leaders following the Alaska summit, Trump said he wants to hold a trilateral meeting with Putin and the Ukrainian leader “fast,” as early as August 22, Axios reports.

Zelensky is scheduled to travel to Washington on Monday for a meeting with the American president.

The leaders of eight Nordic and Baltic nations have released a joint statement following the Alaska summit blaming the underlying causes of the Ukraine conflict on Russia.

The leaders of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, and Sweden also demanded that Ukraine not be forced to downsize its military, or be limited in its cooperation with other countries, including regarding its NATO bid. They also insisted that Ukraine and Western European nations should be part of the peace process.

“No decisions on Ukraine without Ukraine, and no decisions on Europe without Europe,” they said.

Moscow has long listed among the root causes of the conflict Ukraine’s ambition to join NATO, and the US-led military bloc’s eastward expansion – which Russia sees as an existential threat.

Zelensky refused to cede to Moscow the parts of the new Russian territories in Donbass still under Ukrainian control when Trump raised the question during a briefing after the summit, Reuters reported, citing anonymous sources.

Following the talks in Anchorage, the US president announced that he would be pursuing a full “peace agreement” rather than a “mere ceasefire” in the Ukraine conflict. He had floated the idea of “land swaps” in the days ahead of the summit.

Putin and Trump at the Alaska summit have given “new momentum” to the efforts to end the Ukraine conflict, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said.

In a post on X, he expressed hope that “this new process,” with Zelensky’s participation “will lay the foundation for lasting peace.”

“Türkiye is ready to provide all kinds of contributions to the establishment of peace,” he wrote.

Putin has described the Alaska summit with Trump as “timely and very useful.”

The two leaders discussed “practically all areas” of US-Russian interaction, as well as a “fair” resolution to the Ukraine crisis, Putin said during a meeting with senior officials in Moscow to review the summit in Anchorage.

“We have not held direct negotiations of this kind at this level for a long time,” he said, adding that the Alaska summit was an opportunity for Moscow to “calmly state our position in detail.”

Putin said he had the opportunity to discuss the “genesis” and core causes of the Ukraine conflict. “It is precisely the elimination of these root causes that should be the basis for the settlement.”

Following the Alaska summit, Trump believes that the best way to quickly negotiate a peace treaty in the Ukraine conflict is for Kiev to cede to Moscow all parts of the new Russian territories in Donbass still under Ukrainian control, the New York Times has reported, citing anonymous officials.

The US president raised the issue with Western European allies on Saturday, the outlet said.

“It breaks from a strategy Mr. Trump and European allies, as well as Mr. Zelensky, had agreed to before the US-Russia summit in Alaska,” the NYT wrote.

Earlier in the day, the US president said that “the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a Peace Agreement,” rather than a “mere ceasefire.”

In a statement later in the day, Western European leaders ruled out territorial concessions for Ukraine.

Western European leaders have been invited to the upcoming meeting between Trump and Zelensky, scheduled for Monday, the New York Times has reported, citing officials with knowledge of the private discussions.

Zelensky confirmed on Saturday that he will travel to Washington to meet with the US president, following the summit with Vladimir Putin in Alaska.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has welcomed Trump’s efforts to “achieve a just and lasting peace” in the Ukraine conflict.

“Ukraine can count on our unwavering solidarity as we work towards a peace that safeguards Ukraine’s and Europe’s vital security interests,” he wrote on X.

Finnish President Alexander Stubb has thanked Trump for his phone call with Western European leaders following the Alaska summit.

“Strong and credible security guarantees” should be offered to Ukraine as part of any sustainable peace deal, he said on X.

Finland, which borders Russia, joined NATO in 2023, despite Moscow’s stance against the US-led military bloc’s expansion.

French President Emmanuel Macron has said that Paris will work with its European allies to provide “unwavering security guarantees” for Ukraine in the event of a peace deal.

“I welcome, in this regard, the readiness of the United States to contribute,” he said in an X post commenting the Alaska summit.

“We will work on this with them and with all our partners in the Coalition of the Willing, with whom we will meet again soon, to make concrete progress.”

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has welcomed Trump’s peace efforts at the Alaska summit, calling for Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky to be involved in the “next phase” of the talks.

He also promised to keep “tightening the screws” on the Russian economy in an effort to pressure Moscow, while also pledging to support Ukraine for “as long as it takes.”

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has expressed hope for a possible peace deal, following the Trump-Putin summit in Alaska.

“A glimmer of hope finally opens for discussing peace in Ukraine,” she wrote in a brief post on X.

India has welcomed the summit between Trump and Putin in Alaska, calling their leadership in pursuit of peace “highly commendable.”

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has welcomed the talks between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Alaska. He argued that the summit rejected a “black-and-white view” and erased “a single mandatory opinion” on the conflict as “vigorously promoted by the Biden administration and continues to be advocated by a group of strong players in the European Union.” 

The Ukraine conflict has its historical roots, he added, and “we must speak equally about security guarantees, both for Ukraine and for the Russian Federation.” 

Fico warned that the EU’s “unsuccessful strategy” is to continue trying to “weaken Russia through this conflict by all possible means, including incredible financial, political, or military assistance to Kiev.” He said Trump’s approach reflected “clear American pragmatism and support for its own American interests.”

Western European leaders issued a joint statement on the US-Russian summit in Anchorage. While they “welcomed President Trump’s efforts to stop the killing in Ukraine” and to “achieve just and lasting peace,” they also made clear that the EU and UK will continue pressing for Ukraine’s membership in both the EU and NATO.

The statement insisted Ukraine must have “ironclad security guarantees,” declaring that “no limitations should be placed on Ukraine’s armed forces or cooperation with third countries. Russia cannot veto Ukraine’s pathway to EU and NATO.”

Trump’s push for de-escalation contrasts with European leaders’ resolve to arm Ukraine and bring it closer to NATO, precisely the steps Moscow has long condemned as being among the root causes of the conflict.

The Ukraine conflict could be wrapped up before Christmas if Putin and Trump meet with Zelensky for a trilateral summit, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham has said.

He suggested that Trump will have to impose “severe consequences” on Russia and its trading partners if the meeting does not happen.

Graham, a staunch backer of Ukraine, has urged the US to supply record amounts of arms to Kiev, from long-range missiles to F-16 fighter jets. Earlier this year, he introduced a bill in Congress that proposed 500% secondary sanctions on countries that buy Russian oil and gas.

Trump has announced that after his summit with Putin and following phone calls with the leaders of NATO states and Ukraine, he will be pursuing a permanent peace agreement in the Ukraine conflict rather than a “mere” temporary ceasefire.

“It was determined by all that the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a Peace Agreement, which would end the war, and not a mere Ceasefire Agreement, which often times do not hold up,” he wrote on Truth Social.

Trump confirmed that Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky will fly to Washington to meet him on Monday.

Ambassadors from every EU member state will convene for an extraordinary meeting on Saturday morning to discuss the bloc’s next steps after the Alaska summit, Politico has reported, citing two anonymous diplomats.

The ambassadors were reportedly asked to meet in a “restricted format,” without their aides and phones, in an effort to avoid potential leaks.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has called an impromptu cabinet meeting to discuss the results of the Alaska summit with his ministers, Berlin-based tabloid Bild has reported, citing anonymous sources.

The world is a safer place now that the leaders of the two biggest nuclear superpowers have resumed top-level diplomatic relations, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has said.

The telephone call between President Donald Trump, Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky and NATO leaders “wasn’t easy,” Axios correspondent Barak Ravid has said, citing a source familiar with the conversation.

Zelensky has said on his Telegram that he will travel to Washington on Monday to meet President Trump and “discuss all of the details” regarding a possible ending of the conflict. Zelensky said that he “had a long and substantive conversation” with Trump during which the American president informed him about his meeting with Putin.

Trump and Zelensky held a one-on-one call on Friday before Western European leaders joined a discussion, Ukraine’s presidential office has said.

The leaders of France, Germany, Britain, Italy, Finland and Poland also took part, along with NATO’s chief and the head of the European Commission according to the Elysee in Paris.

The timing of a potential meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump remains undecided, Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov has said. He added that the possibility of a trilateral summit involving Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky was not raised in discussions at the Alaska summit.

US President Donald Trump spoke by phone with Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky shortly after meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, delaying his arrival off Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews early on Saturday, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino has said.

Axios has reported, citing sources close to the matter, that Trump spoke with Zelensky and European leaders for more than 90 minutes to brief them on his discussions with Putin.

Russia and the United States will soon hold consultations to ease tensions in bilateral ties, Russia’s ambassador to Washington, Aleksandr Darchiev, told Izvestia after the the Alaska summit. “Regular consultations on normalization are due to take place soon, we call them on irritants in bilateral relations, where we hope to discuss them in detail,” he said.

Darchiev added he hoped the talks would speed up the resumption of direct flights, calling restored connections a priority as Moscow and Washington seek to manage differences.

The world is safer when Washington and Moscow maintin dialogue at the highest level, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto has said, praising the latest US-Russia summit as proof that peace in Ukraine can only come through talks, not war. He added that Hungary has consistently backed diplomacy, unlike what he called “pro-war” politicians in Brussels.

US F-22 fighter jets escorted the plane carrying Russian President Vladimir Putin as it departed Alaska en route to Russia, the Kremlin has said.

The White House has shared a photo of US President Donald Trump meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin during the talks in Alaska, as part of the 2025 summit titled ‘Pursuing Peace’. The post quoted Trump as saying the two leaders had made “great progress.”

Former US National Security Adviser John Bolton has said Russian President Vladimir Putin emerged stronger from the Alaska summit with Donald Trump, arguing that Moscow met key goals while Washington gained little.

“I think Trump did not lose. But Putin clearly won,” Bolton told CNN. “Trump didn’t come away with anything except more meetings… Putin has, I think, gone a long way to reestablishing the relationship, which I’ve always believed was his key goal.” He added that Putin avoided sanctions or ceasefire demands while “Trump achieved very little,” and claimed that the US leader “looked very tired up there. I mean, very tired, not disappointed, tired.” 

The Trump-Bolton relationship has been underscored by years of mutual criticism, with the American leader dismissing Bolton as overly hawkish and Bolton accusing Trump of prioritizing personal politics over national security.

The Trump-Putin summit in Alaska was a “joint success” for the two leaders, according to the vice speaker of the Russian parliament’s upper chamber, Konstantin Kosachev.

“The very fact of the meeting in Alaska, its tone, and the outcome are a great and joint success of the two presidents,” Kosachev wrote on Telegram. He added that Putin and Trump have both made “a tremendous personal contribution to achieving the maximum possible result for today,” underscoring the significance of the talks at the Elmendorf-Richardson military base, which lasted two hours and 45 minutes.

The Russian-US summit “fully justified its motto: pursuing peace,” Russian State Duma Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Leonid Slutsky has said. He called the meeting between Putin and Trump a “productive” step toward resolving the Ukraine conflict.

Although no breakthrough was expected, Slutsky described the talks as a “significant turning point” in restoring cooperation. Trump rated the outcome “10 out of 10,” Slutsky noted on Telegram. Slutsky added that Anchorage would go down in history as a milestone in bilateral relations, and suggested the next stage of dialogue could take place in Moscow.

Trump said he maintained a strong personal rapport with Vladimir Putin and argued that the two leaders could realise advanced US-Russia cooperation if not for political turmoil in Washington. “I always had a great relationship with President Putin, and we would have done great things together…their land is incredible…rare earth, the oil, gas, everything,” Trump said in an interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity.

Trump blamed the investigations into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 election, which he repeatedly referred to as a “hoax”, for halting progress. He suggested that domestic political scandals, rather than a lack of will on either side, prevented the United States and Russia from pursuing joint projects.

Trump said Russian President Vladimir Putin echoed his claims of US election fraud, telling him that mail-in ballots mean votes could be “rigged.” In an interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity, Trump said that Putin told him “It’s impossible to have mail-in voting and have honest elections.” 

Trump used the remarks to repeat his own allegations that America’s voting system is corrupt. He argued that mail-in ballots allow multiple votes per person and undermine election integrity, reviving claims he has made since the 2020 presidential race.

First Lady Melania Trump has sent a personal letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin about Ukrainian and Russian children, which US President Donald Trump delivered during the Alaska summit, Reuters has reported, citing sources.

Unnamed US officials told the agency the letter focused on what they called “the abductions of children” during the conflict, without giving further details.

Ukraine and its Western backers have accused Moscow of “deporting” Ukrainian children to Russian territory. Russia has said the minors were evacuated from the conflict zone for safety reasons and would be returned to parents or legal guardians on request.

Trump has downplayed the idea that Western pressure forced Vladimir Putin into talks. “I don’t want to say anything brought him to the table. He’s a very smart guy. Nothing brought him to the table, so to speak,” Trump said, adding that negotiations were progressing despite the ongoing conflict.

Trump has urged Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky to pursue a negotiated settlement with Russia, describing the conflict as “a terrible war where he’s losing a lot, and both of them are.” Trump said ending the fighting would be “a great achievement for them. Forget about me,” framing peace as primarily Ukraine’s responsibility.

Trump also said European nations must play a stronger role in efforts to end the conflict. “Now it’s really up to President [Zelensky],” he said. “And I would also say the European nations, they have to get involved a little bit.” He added that a direct meeting between Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin was being planned, and suggested he could join the talks: “Not that I want to be there, but I want to make sure it gets done.”

Trump has suggested he could be in line for a Nobel Peace Prize if he helps broker peace in Ukraine, but insisted his past record already merits recognition.

“Somebody said if I get this settled, I’ll get the Nobel Peace Prize,” Trump said in an interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity.“Well, I’m not involved in it, but what about the other six wars or whatever it is? I mean, those were big.” 

Some world leaders have formally put his name forward for the honor in 2025: Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet nominated Trump for mediating a ceasefire in a border clash with Thailand, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also submitted a nomination citing Trump’s Middle East diplomacy.

Trump has signaled that the US is so far holding off on imposing new tariffs on Russia’s trading partners. “Because of what happened today, I think I don’t have to think about that now,” Trump told Fox News. “I may have to think about it in two weeks or three weeks or something, but we don’t have to think about that right now.”

Russian officials have presented the US with a list of one thousand Ukrainian service members that Moscow intends to release, Trump told Fox News. “That was agreed to today. Well, they [Ukraine] have to accept them. They [Russia] are going to release them.”

Moscow has accused Kiev of essentially refusing to take back hundreds of Ukrainian soldiers in Russian custody, noting that out of 1,000 people, Ukraine took in only two.

The ultimate Ukraine deal depends not only on Zelensky, but also on the European nations, Trump has said, adding that “they have to get involved a little bit.”

He did not rule out a potential trilateral meeting involving Putin, Zelensky, and himself. “If they’d like, I’ll be at that next meeting. They’re going to set up a meeting now between President Zelensky and President Putin,” he said, adding that he “want[s] to make sure it gets done.”

Asked by Hannity what advice he would give Vladimir Zelensky, Trump replied: “Make the deal.”

Trump described the summit with Putin as “a very warm meeting” while calling his counterpart “a strong guy.” “We’re pretty close to it,” he said, referring to a settlement of the Ukraine conflict, adding that Kiev “has to agree to it.”

“Maybe they’ll say no. Because [former US President Joe] Biden handed out money like it was candy. And Europe gave him a lot of money.”

Putin and Trump agreed “on a lot of points,” the US president has told Fox News. “There’s one or two pretty significant items, but I think they can be reached,” he said, adding that “now it’s really up to President Zelensky to get it done.”

Putin and Trump did not take reporters’ questions at the press conference because the two leaders have provided “exhaustive statements,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said. He added that the talks “allow us to confidently move forward together in seeking settlement options” in the Ukraine conflict.

The Kremlin has described the talks between Putin and Trump as “very positive.”

Trump greatly appreciated the results of the summit with Putin, according to Fox News. The American leader said he would “give today a ten” when asked to comment on the outcome, according to the media outlet.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has departed from Alaska.

The Alaska summit is a milestone in the emergence of a new world order, “a symbol of a changing era,” Russian political commentator Sergey Poletaev has said. It showed that the West “no longer sets the rules” and that the world is becoming truly multipolar.

Putin has visited Fort Richardson National Cemetery near Anchorage to honor Soviet pilots who died in Alaska while ferrying US-made aircraft to the Soviet Union under the Lend-Lease program during World War II. The president was filmed making the sign of the cross after laying flowers at one of the tombs.

15 August 2025

The two presidents have left the press conference room after making their statements, without taking any questions from the media.

Putin switched to English to invite Trump to Moscow for the next round of talks. “Next time in Moscow,” he suggested to Trump, to which the US leader responded that he sees it as “possibly happening.”

Trump noted that the most important thing is that they have a decent chance to achieve peace, and he expressed hope to see Putin again soon, adding that the Russian president wants to end this conflict just as he does.

Trump stated that the two men had a very productive meeting during which many issues were discussed, but they could not achieve full understanding and there is no deal yet. He also emphasized that he has very good relations with President Putin.

Putin said he could confirm that if Trump had been president in 2022, there would have been no conflict in Ukraine.

He mentioned that he had tried to persuade Joe Biden not to bring the situation to a point where a confrontation would become inevitable.

Putin hopes that the agreements reached with Trump will pave the way for peace in the Ukraine conflict, and he thanked Trump for the candid tone of their conversation.

“Russia is genuinely interested in ending the Ukraine conflict and ensuring that the resolution in Ukraine is long-term,” Putin stated.

Moscow hopes that European capitals will not create obstacles or attempt to disrupt the anticipated progress, he added.

“Our relations had sunk to the lowest point since the Cold War,” Putin said, adding that such a state of affairs was not good for either country or for the world.

President Vladimir Putin has described the talks as “constructive and useful,” adding that they were held in an atmosphere of “mutual respect.”

The talks between Trump and Putin lasted for more than two and a half hours, the longest in-person meeting between the two leaders, surpassing their previous summit in Helsinki in 2018.

A joint press conference of the two presidents will start very soon, the Kremlin has announced.

Talks between Presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump involving close aides have concluded, the Kremlin has said as it published a video showing the Russian delegation leaving the meeting room.

The White House has called the meeting between Trump and Putin “historic” as it published on social media a picture of the two leaders walking the red carpet on the tarmac together.

NBC compared Trump’s “seemingly warm greeting of Putin” with his tense Oval Office reception of Vladimir Zelensky in February. That meeting ended with Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance criticizing the Ukrainian leader for his lack of gratitude.

The White House has released a joint photo of a smiling Trump and Putin ahead of the talks, with the caption: Pursuing Peace.

Snipers, armored vehicles, and hundreds of security personnel are guarding the venue of the meeting.

Trump and Putin had no interpreters during their meeting at the airfield, as the Russian leader speaks English well. It is highly unusual to see the leaders of two superpowers in the same limousine.

As the talks unfold, media have shared footage of a B-2 Spirit bomber, escorted by four F-22 fighters, flying over Putin and Trump in the Alaskan sky as they posed for a joint photo.

Putin and Trump have officially begun their summit. RT’s Egor Piskunov filmed the start of the talks, moments before all media were ushered out.

The first footage of the talks has emerged. American journalists can be seen calling out questions to Putin as his meeting with Trump gets underway at Elmendorf-Richardson Base.

The two leaders shook hands, patted each other on the shoulder, and exchanged smiles and greetings. They then posed for a joint photo before Putin got into Trump’s car, with the Russian leader smiling from the window as they drove off together.

Putin and Trump stepped off their planes almost simultaneously onto the tarmac in Alaska, greeting each other ahead of their summit.

Putin has arrived in Alaska for summit with Trump.

Videos taken by RT show the room prepared for the Trump-Putin joint press conference, with a backdrop reading ‘Pursuing Peace’.

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick will join the Putin-Trump summit for an expanded bilateral meeting and lunch, the White House has said.

Air Force One carrying Donald Trump has arrived in Alaska ahead of the summit with Putin.

Red carpet has been rolled out for Putin, with ‘Alaska 2025’ on display and fighter jets stationed nearby, as he is set to meet Trump in Anchorage soon.

RT’s Egor Piskunov, who will be covering the summit on site, said the Russian reporters were “not being greeted badly” in Alaska, but preparations for their stay appeared “done at the last minute.” He spent the night in a sports center resembling a temporary Covid-era facility, found no hot water in the showers, with breakfast only of bread, chips, and unrefrigerated tuna salad - the latter of which he “didn’t risk” eating.

Russian economic envoy Kirill Dmitriev, a key figure in the negotiations, posted a video on X showing himself in Alaska as a brown bear ambles past a roadside near water and dense shrubs. In the short video, the animal is seen moving calmly along the edge of the road before disappearing from view. Dmitriev captioned the short clip: “Met a bear in Alaska before the US-Russia Summit. Hopefully a good sign.” Dmitriev is set to join the Putin-Trump talks.

Accusations by Kiev that Russia allegedly struck a market in the Ukrainian city of Sumy earlier on Friday “are a deliberate provocation” aimed at disrupting the Russia–US summit, the Defense Ministry in Moscow (MOD) has said. 

The ministry stressed that Russian forces had not carried out any strikes on Sumy or any other cities. The MOD had previously warned that the Ukrainian government was preparing a high-profile provocation to derail the Putin–Trump meeting

Putin’s Tu-214 has reportedly entered US airspace, data from FlightRadar24 shows, on its way to Anchorage. Nearly 150,000 people are reportedly tracking the flight online.

The Putin-Trump summit in Alaska “already inspires hope,” the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, has said. The Christian leader, who held a prayer service ahead of the bilateral talks, said they could “bring hope and peace to all of humanity,” foster stronger Russia-US ties, and “allow the world to breathe a sigh of relief.” 

Everything suggests the two leaders are ready to develop relations and work for “the well-being of the entire human race and human civilization as a whole,” Kirill said.

The makeup of Russia’s delegation at the Putin-Trump summit suggests the talks will go far beyond the Ukraine conflict, according to Russian foreign policy expert Alexander Bobrov.

He noted that the people on Moscow’s team are “not random officials” but seasoned diplomats such as Presidential aide Yury Ushakov who previously served as Russia’s ambassador to Washington.

Bobrov suggested that the two sides could end up discussing a wide range of issues, including sanctions relief, returning diplomatic missions, cooperation in the Arctic, rare-earth metals, as well as broader trade, economic ties and arms control.

Aside from the Ukraine conflict and economic ties, the two sides expect to discuss the restoration of bilateral relations as a whole, presidential economic envoy Kirill Dmitriev told reporters ahead of the summit.

Dmitriev, who is officially part of the Russian delegation taking part in the discussions, said he was in “high spirits” in the lead up to the talks.

The Trump-Putin summit could last between six and seven hours, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has told reporters, adding that Moscow expects the meeting to be productive. 

He also stated that the face-to-face meeting between the two presidents will be held with aides present.

Vladimir Putin paid an official visit to Russia’s Far Eastern city of Magadan ahead of his trip to Alaska to meet with Trump. The Russian leader met with local representatives and laid flowers at the ‘Heroes of the Alsib’ memorial, which commemorates Soviet and US cooperation during World War II.

The monument is dedicated to the Alaska-Siberia air route, which was used to ferry over 8,000 aircraft from the US to the USSR, often in extreme weather. More than 100 pilots lost their lives along the way.

Peskov said that during the four-hour-long flight from the Russian city of Magadan to Anchorage, Putin will carefully study and go over all the issues that are set to be on the agenda of the talks.

These include the Ukraine conflict, as well as issues in bilateral Russia-US relations, possible joint economic projects, and other regional and international issues, Peskov said.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has confirmed that Vladimir Putin is scheduled to arrive in Anchorage at exactly 11 аm local time and will be personally greeted when disembarking his plane by President Trump.

Trump says he spoke with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko over the phone on Friday. “Our conversation was a very good one. We discussed many topics, including President Putin’s visit to Alaska,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social account, adding that he looks forward to a personal meeting with Lukashenko in the future.

RT’s Egor Piskunov and other journalists have arrived at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in preparation for the Trump-Putin summit, which is scheduled to begin at around 20:00 GMT.

Hillary Clinton says she would nominate Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize if he manages to end the Ukraine conflict, describing the upcoming summit with Vladimir Putin as an “opportunity.” 

However, she stated that she would only consider it a successful deal if it doesn’t involve “capitulation” to Putin or forcing Ukraine to renounce claims to territories.

“If President Trump were the architect of that, I’d nominate him for a Nobel peace prize,” Clinton, who lost to Trump in the 2016 presidential election, told the Raging Moderates podcast.

Slovak PM Robert Fico said he hopes the Putin-Trump summit will put an end to the Ukraine conflict and stop the bloodshed among Slavic peoples. 

Fico, who was shot at close range last year by a pro-Ukrainian activist over his stance, also hopes that whatever deal is reached by the US and Russian presidents is not sabotaged in the future. “There are certain forces that are interested in a continuation of the war and are trying to weaken Russia,” he warned.

Trump could seek to normalize relations with Russia, according to former US ambassador to NATO Ivo Daalder. He told CNN the US president is likely trying to make progress on the Ukraine conflict so that he can start doing business with Moscow and mend political and economic ties. 

Political scientist Samuel Charap has also noted the prospect of Putin and Trump potentially returning to the implementation of the New START nuclear arms control treaty. 

Putin had previously stated that such agreements would make the world a safer place.

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is also on his way to Anchorage to take part in the Putin-Trump summit, the Pentagon has announced. Hegseth has long criticized continued US military aid to Ukraine and repeatedly spoken against Kiev joining NATO’s ranks.

Planes with Russian representatives continue to fly into Anchorage ahead of the summit. RT’s Egor Piskunov recaps what is expected to be discussed during the event and what both sides hope to achieve.

Trump is expected to arrive in Anchorage first and will personally welcome his Russian counterpart, according to Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy.

Alaska is an intriguing choice for the Putin-Trump summit. If you're keen to know how this territory ended up becoming part of the US, Roman Shumov's piece on the fascinating history of 'Russian Alaska' is a must-read before the summit gets underway later today.

Speaking on board Air Force One, Trump described Putin as a “smart guy” and noted that he sees an interest from the Russian side “to do business” with the US.

At the same time, the US president warned that Moscow could face “severe” economic consequences if the Alaska summit doesn’t result in progress on the Ukraine conflict.

Trump has told reporters on board Air Force One that the issue of territorial swaps between Russia and Ukraine will be discussed with Putin, but said a final decision would have to be made by Ukraine.

He also stated that Ukraine could be provided some sort of security guarantees along with Europe, but stressed that Kiev joining NATO is among the things “that aren’t going to happen.”

The upcoming summit could prove historic in that Putin and Trump have an opportunity to potentially settle unfinished Cold War issues and redefine the international balance, according to foreign affairs analyst Fyodor Lukyanov.

Trump-Putin summit could potentially run for over six hours, according to the US president’s schedule posted by the White House. The beginning of the event is scheduled for 11am local time (19:00 GMT) and Trump is expected to depart Anchorage only by 5:45pm local time (01:45 GMT).

Trump has boarded Air Force One to fly out to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Anchorage, Alaska. The summit is scheduled to begin in about seven hours.

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s special economic envoy, Kirill Dmitriev has agreed with Trump’s social media post, stating that the stakes for today’s summit are “high”.

Donald Trump’s motorcade has been spotted moving through Washington, DC, ahead of his departure to Alaska for the summit with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky have agreed to meet in person after the Russia-US summit, the BFMTV news outlet has reported, citing French government sources.

The US delegation will include Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Special Envoy to Ukraine and the Middle East Steve Witkoff, Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent, Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick as well as White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt, among others, according to the White House pool.

Footage shared by media outlets has shown hotel accommodation for the Russian delegation, as well as what appeared to be the interior of the ‘Flying Machine’ restaurant on the Alaskan coast, with views of a picturesque shoreline and seaplanes buzzing overhead.

Donald Trump’s comparison of his summit with Vladimir Putin to a chess match is quite “appropriate,” former world champion Anatoly Karpov has told TASS.

Trump has likely read The Grand Chessboard, a book on geopolitics by former US national security advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski, he suggested. Karpov also called the meeting “a positive event, including for sports,” adding, “We hope the presidents will reach an agreement.”

The Alaska summit must address not only the Ukraine conflict, but also “more fundamental issues that will define a reset in relations” between Russia, the US and the West, Viktor Medvedchuk, the ex leader of the now-banned Euroskeptic Ukrainian party Opposition Platform – For Life, has said.

The Ukraine issue is secondary, he said, while calling Zelensky “a mere puppet.”

“It is important to create conditions so that the Ukrainian people themselves can determine their future,” Medvedchuk stressed, while calling for “a temporary administration” in Ukraine, which he said would allow for holding fair presidential and parliamentary elections in the country.

The absence of Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky at the Putin-Trump summit is recognition of the fact that he is “a puppet, an illegitimate president who does not reflect the real sentiments and expectations of the Ukrainian people,” Rodion Miroshnik, the Russian Foreign Ministry ambassador-at-large, has told TASS.

The only course for Zelensky – who Miroshnik claimed is dependent on the UK, France, and Germany – is “provocations aimed at disrupting the negotiations.”

The Alaska summit “is arguably the most perilous moment of the war” for Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky, the Daily Telegraph has reported, noting that he has been cut off from the meeting that could decide the fate of the country.

The US is expected to roll out a literal red carpet for Putin when he arrives in Anchorage, NBC News has reported, citing senior American officials. They added that details of the welcoming ceremony are still being finalized.

Hours before the Putin-Trump meeting in Anchorage, social media platforms were awash with AI-generated images depicting the two leaders having a good time in Alaska, wandering through snowy landscapes.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen were shown warily peeking at the summit through binoculars. Neither Zelensky nor any European representatives have been invited to attend the talks.

Many members of the Russian delegation and media have been housed at the Alaska Airlines Center on the University of Alaska Anchorage campus, where parts of the facility have been converted into sleeping quarters, according to footage posted on social media.

While en route to Alaska, Russian President Vladimir Putin will stop in the Far Eastern city of Magadan to review the urban development program and address regional issues, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said.

Regardless of whether Russia and the US reach any progress at the talks, the Alaska summit has already yielded a “big win” for Moscow, the New York Times has claimed. The paper noted that some of Kiev’s backers in Europe were “flabbergasted” by Trump’s decision to hold a summit on Ukraine that excluded Vladimir Zelensky.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has arrived in Anchorage, with footage circulating in the media showing him wearing a sweater with the inscription “USSR.” Speaking to reporters, he declined to “predict anything in advance” regarding the summit’s potential results, adding that the conversation will build on previous discussions between US envoy Steve Witkoff and Russian President Vladimir Putin.