Anchorage, Alaska (Agencies) August 15, 2025 — U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin convened today at Joint Base Elmendorf–Richardson in Anchorage for a high-stakes summit aimed at exploring pathways to end the war in Ukraine. The meeting marks the first in-person encounter between the two leaders since Trump’s return to the White House and Putin’s first visit to the United States in a decade.
The summit began with a choreographed red carpet reception, complete with military honors and fighter jet flyovers. Trump greeted Putin on the tarmac, signaling the gravity of the occasion and the symbolic weight of hosting the Russian leader on U.S. soil.
Originally planned as a one-on-one meeting, the format was revised to include senior advisers. Trump was joined by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff, while Putin was accompanied by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov.
Trump emphasized that his goal was not to broker a deal on behalf of Ukraine but to “get them at a table.” He stopped short of offering security guarantees to Kyiv and acknowledged that any ceasefire would require further negotiation. “I want the killing to stop,” Trump told reporters, adding that he would not be satisfied without rapid progress.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was notably excluded from the summit, a move that has raised concerns among European allies. Zelenskyy reiterated that Ukraine is “counting on America” and warned that decisions made without Ukrainian participation would lack legitimacy.
The Kremlin has signaled openness to certain terms, though major gaps remain between Russian and Ukrainian demands. Trump has floated the idea of a follow-up trilateral summit involving Zelenskyy, contingent on the success of today’s talks.
The summit is expected to last several hours and will conclude with a joint press conference. Analysts view the meeting as a pivotal moment in global diplomacy, with potential implications for NATO, European security, and the future of U.S.-Russia relations.