WATCH US F-35 fighter jets escort Putin’s plane
The Kremlin has shared footage of US F-35 fighter jets flanking Russian President Vladimir Putin’s plane as it headed across the Bering Strait, following a summit with his American counterpart, Donald Trump, in Alaska.
The warplanes appeared to have taken off from Elmendorf Air Force Base, which served as the summit’s venue.
Putin’s arrival in the US also featured a ceremonial display of Washington’s military power, including a flyover of F-22s and a B-2 nuclear-capable stealth bomber. Trump also welcomed his Russian counterpart on a red carpet, with the two sharing a drive in the US president’s armored limousine.
Following the summit, the two leaders held a press conference, although they did not announce any deal on the Ukraine conflict. Still, Putin described the meeting as constructive while Trump called it “warm,” adding the sides are “pretty close to the end” of the conflict.
Trump later urged Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky to “make the deal.”
The F-35 is a fifth-generation family of stealth, multi-role fighter jets developed by Lockheed Martin, designed for air superiority and ground attack missions, equipped with advanced sensors, avionics, and networked warfare capabilities. Alaska is reportedly home to two squadrons of F-22s, in addition to another two squadrons of F-35 fighters reportedly stationed at the nearby Eielson Air Force Base.
