US President Donald Trump departed for Alaska on Friday to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in their first face-to-face encounter since Trump’s return to the White House. The summit, scheduled for 11 a.m. Alaska time is expected to focus heavily on securing a ceasefire in Ukraine. Trump has repeatedly said he wants the fighting to end “today,” while stressing that any decisions on territory must be made by Ukraine itself. He denied any intention to “sell out” Kyiv and made clear that no business relations with Russia would resume until the war is over.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who was not invited to the talks, urged that the meeting should produce a “just peace” and reiterated calls for Russia to halt its military aggression. His comments came as Russia continued its missile strikes on Friday, with one attack in the Dnipropetrovsk region killing a civilian.
For Putin, the meeting is an opportunity to present Russia as a key player in global diplomacy. Kremlin officials have indicated the talks could run six to seven hours, covering issues such as the war in Ukraine, limits on NATO expansion, potential sanctions relief, and even a new nuclear arms control agreement. Both sides have signalled openness to possible compromises, with reports suggesting Moscow might consider freezing the conflict along current front lines in exchange for security guarantees.
