United States President Donald Trump receives Russian President Vladimir Putin at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, for a summit centered on the war in Ukraine.
The encounter marks their first in-person meeting since 2019 and their first dedicated summit since Helsinki in 2018.
After exchanging a warm handshake on the tarmac, the two leaders posed for photos before riding together in the presidential vehicle to the venue. Trump gave his Russian counterpart a red-carpet welcome, applauding as Putin stepped off his aircraft. Both were accompanied by senior aides.
Talks began with a one-on-one session before expanding to include US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff on Trump’s side, while Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov joined Putin. The Kremlin said discussions could run up to seven hours.
Meanwhile, demonstrators rallied in Alaska in support of Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who was not invited to the summit, said there was still “no sign” Moscow was prepared to end the conflict. While acknowledging the talks as “necessary,” he stressed Kyiv’s involvement was essential for “effective decisions.”
“Security guarantees are needed. Lasting peace is needed. Everyone knows the key objectives,” Zelensky posted on X, urging Russia to halt the war it started and thanking allies for their support.
