President Donald Trump has confirmed that he will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday, August 15, in what could be a pivotal moment in efforts to end the war in Ukraine. The announcement came through Trump’s Truth Social account, with senior White House officials noting that plans for the summit remain fluid and could potentially include Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Trump told reporters that he intends to “start off with Russia” but believes there is a possibility of organizing a trilateral meeting involving both Putin and Zelenskyy. The meeting would be the first face-to-face encounter between Putin and a U.S. leader since former President Joe Biden met him in Switzerland in June 2021, months before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Kirill Dmitriev, a Russian businessman and adviser to Putin, acknowledged the planned meeting in a social media post but avoided mentioning the ongoing war, instead suggesting that the U.S. and Russia should work together on Arctic-related environmental, infrastructure, and energy projects.
The Alaska summit comes as Trump presses Putin to agree to a ceasefire with Ukraine. Friday, August 8, marked Trump’s self-imposed deadline for Putin to reach a deal or face severe economic sanctions, including possible secondary penalties on nations trading with Russia. Earlier this week, Trump imposed 50% tariffs on Indian goods, partly in response to India’s purchases of Russian oil.
Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska expressed cautious optimism about the meeting, saying the Arctic could serve as a neutral venue to bring world leaders together. However, she emphasized her wariness of Putin’s regime and stressed the importance of achieving a fair and lasting peace.
Trump has voiced frustration over recent Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities, describing some of his calls with Putin as disappointing. Still, he described a recent meeting between his envoy, Steve Witkoff, and Putin in Moscow as “very productive.”
The potential terms of any peace agreement remain uncertain. Russia continues to occupy large parts of eastern Ukraine and has demanded Ukraine withdraw its forces from additional areas, as well as abandon its NATO ambitions — demands Zelenskyy has firmly rejected. Trump has hinted at the possibility of “swapping territories” as part of a settlement, while criticizing both leaders at times for the slow progress toward a ceasefire.
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