Former U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin met on Friday at Elmendorf Air Force Base in Alaska, launching a closely watched summit aimed at exploring a possible end to the war in Ukraine. The meeting, set against the backdrop of ongoing fighting and deep international divisions, marked Putin’s first visit to Western soil since ordering the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
The two leaders greeted each other with a handshake on the tarmac, smiling under grey skies before walking a red carpet to an honor guard salute. In a dramatic show of protocol, fighter jets circled overhead. At one point, a reporter called out to Putin, asking if he would stop targeting civilians, but neither leader responded. The pair then posed beside a podium marked “Alaska 2025,” before Putin joined Trump inside the U.S. presidential limousine—an unusually personal gesture.
Trump, speaking aboard Air Force One en route to Anchorage, expressed optimism. “There’s a good respect level on both sides, and I think something’s going to come out of it,” he said. Still, he warned he could call the talks a failure “after just a few minutes” if Putin refused to move toward compromise.
The summit comes at a pivotal moment. Russia has recently made battlefield gains, strengthening Moscow’s negotiating position, while Ukraine announced the recapture of several villages just as Putin’s plane landed. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who has rejected Trump’s push to cede territory, underscored Kyiv’s stance, declaring: “It is time to end the war, and the necessary steps must be taken by Russia. We are counting on America.”
While the Kremlin said discussions could last six or seven hours, Trump’s aides indicated the meeting was a “feel-out” session rather than a negotiation. The White House also canceled plans for a private one-on-one between Trump and Putin, adding Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff to the talks.
European leaders and Ukraine are watching closely. Trump has promised to consult with allies and Zelensky before any settlement, saying a three-way meeting would ultimately be required to “divvy up” contested territory. Critics, however, recall the backlash from Trump’s 2018 summit in Helsinki, when he was accused of being too accommodating to Putin.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, also in Alaska, declined to speculate on outcomes, telling state media: “We never make any predictions ahead of time.”
The choice of venue added symbolism to the occasion. Alaska, purchased by the United States from Russia in 1867, was once a Cold War frontline for monitoring the Soviet Union. Today, it has become the stage for what could be an early step in testing Trump’s pledge to deliver peace.
Despite his vow to end the conflict within 24 hours of returning to office, Trump faces the reality of a Kremlin unwilling to compromise. “I’ll walk if this doesn’t go well,” he told reporters. “I wouldn’t be happy if we don’t get to a ceasefire immediately.”
Neither leader was expected to leave the air base for Anchorage, where demonstrators gathered with signs in support of Ukraine. The summit highlights a sharp shift in approach from President Joe Biden and European leaders, who had refused talks with Moscow unless Ukraine was directly involved.
At stake in Alaska is not only the course of the war, but also the credibility of Trump’s claim that he alone can secure peace where others have failed.
