Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin are meeting in Anchorage, Alaska, for a crucial summit focused on achieving a ceasefire in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
The discussions began at 3:30 p.m. ET (11:30 a.m. local time) at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson.
The gathering was notable for the absence of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Before the meeting, Trump expressed his hope that this initial summit would lead to broader talks that include Ukraine and possibly European leaders.
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Speaking to reporters on Air Force One, Trump clarified that his primary objective was to get Putin to the negotiating table, not to act as Ukraine’s official representative.
He also refrained from offering any security guarantees for Ukraine as part of a potential peace agreement.
Trump mentioned that he spoke with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, a key ally of Putin, before the summit.
“I think this will be a good first meeting, but the more critical one will be the second,” Trump stated.
“We will have a meeting with President Putin, President Zelenskyy, myself, and perhaps a few European leaders—maybe not.”
The diplomatic push for peace takes place against a backdrop of new Russian assaults on Ukraine overnight, highlighting the complex and urgent nature of the situation.
This encounter is seen as a test of Trump’s commitment to ending the war. In the meantime, Zelenskyy, while not present, affirmed that Ukraine is “counting on America.”
If the summit is successful, Trump has proposed a follow-up meeting involving Zelenskyy, a suggestion the Ukrainian leader has endorsed.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the meeting is expected to take up to six to seven hours.
Offer
Meanwhile, North America correspondent Gary O’Donoghue offered some insights into the meeting.
When asked what concessions Trump might propose to Putin that would be acceptable to Ukraine, O’Donoghue noted that the White House has given “multiple versions” of the summit’s purpose, ranging from a “listening exercise” to a discussion about potential territorial exchanges.
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One possible offering from Trump could be to restore Russia’s standing in the international community, specifically its return from the G7 to the G8.
Another possibility, O’Donoghue added, could be a focus on new business ventures, given the number of business leaders accompanying Putin.
However, O’Donoghue stressed that the fundamental issue remains the ongoing conflict, and Putin has been very explicit about his objectives.
He added that Trump’s challenge is to grasp the ideological nature of Putin’s war aims, which are deeply rooted in Russian history, harking back to the Soviet Union and even to the era of Peter the Great.
A source cited by Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity, suggested that Trump and Putin had managed to find some common ground.
“Apparently, some terms will be agreed upon because Trump cannot be refused, and we are not in a position to refuse (due to sanctions pressure),” the source said.
Reuters reported that President Vladimir Putin expressed openness to a full ceasefire, but insisted that verification issues must first be resolved.
One possible compromise, according to the agency, could be a truce in the aerial conflict.
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has ruled out formally ceding any territory to Moscow and is seeking a security guarantee backed by the United States, though it remains unclear how such a guarantee would be implemented.
Ukrainians interviewed by Reuters in central Kyiv on Friday expressed little optimism about the summit’s prospects.
“Nothing good will happen there, because war is war, it will not end. The territories – we’re not going to give anything to anyone,” said Tetiana Harkavenko, a 65-year-old cleaner.
