Trump and Putin will meet in Alaska for the first time in seven years to discuss the Ukraine war. With no Ukrainian or European leaders present, the talks may bring only symbolic steps toward peace.
On Friday, United States President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet face-to-face in Anchorage, Alaska, to talk about possible steps toward ending the Ukraine war. This will be their first meeting in more than seven years and Putin’s first visit to the United States in a decade. It will also be the first time a Russian leader visits Alaska. The Kremlin has announced that the summit between Trump and Putin will begin at 11:30 am local time at Elmendorf-Richardson Air Force Base in Alaska (1 am IST). The schedule will open with a one-on-one meeting between the two leaders, followed by delegation-level discussions over breakfast, and finally appear together at a press conference. Before the closed-door discussions, Trump and Putin are expected to make brief public remarks.
The agenda of the meeting
The war in Ukraine has been going on for over three years. Hundreds of thousands of people have died, and both countries have suffered major damage. Trump has promised since his election campaign to end the war quickly, saying he could do it in 24 hours if elected. So far, that promise has not been fulfilled. For Putin, just having this meeting on US soil is already a win. It shows the world that Russia is not as isolated as Western countries wanted. For Trump, it is a chance to show progress toward peace and strengthen his image as a dealmaker.
Who will be in the room
The Russian side will include Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Defence Minister Andrei Belousov, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov, presidential aide Yuri Ushakov, and investment envoy Kirill Dmitriev. It is not yet clear which US officials will join Trump during the talks. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders will not attend. European Union leaders, NATO chief Mark Rutte and European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen joined a video call with Trump and Zelenskyy earlier this week, but they will not be in Alaska.
Why Alaska is the venue
Alaska is the closest US state to Russia, with only about 90km across the Bering Strait separating it from Russia’s Chukotka region. This location allows Putin to travel without flying over countries that have closed their airspace to Russian planes since 2022. Alaska also has history with Russia. It was once part of the Russian Empire but was sold to the United States in 1867 for $7.2 million. Even today, Russian influence can be seen in the state’s churches and surnames.
The military base hosting the meeting is a Cold War-era site built to monitor and defend against possible Soviet attacks. It still plays an important role in US defence. Here’s what each side wants:
Putin’s demands are still very tough. He wants Russia to keep control of the Ukrainian territories it has taken, Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson. He also wants Ukraine blocked from joining NATO, a smaller Ukrainian army and a government friendly to Moscow. Ukraine has rejected all these conditions with Zelenskyy saying Ukrainians will not give up their land. Trump says this meeting will be a ‘feel-out’ session. He believes he will know within minutes whether a deal is possible. Even if there is no big breakthrough, he hopes to agree on further talks or small steps, like prisoner swaps or protecting civilian areas.
Russia’s goals
For Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Alaska meeting is a chance to push his toughest demands directly to the United States. He has been largely cut off from Western leaders since the 2022 invasion, so just being at the table with Trump is already a political win for him. Moscow’s position is clear that it wants to keep all the territory it has taken in eastern and southern Ukraine, block Ukraine from joining NATO, limit Ukraine’s military size and ensure a government in Kyiv that is friendly to Russia. Putin also sees this summit as a stage to show Russia is not isolated and to push for easing Western sanctions. While the Kremlin says it is open to talks, it rejects any plan that would force Russia to give back land.
Ukraine’s position
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is not part of the Alaska meeting, but he has warned that no peace deal can happen without Ukraine at the table. Kyiv insists the first step must be a complete ceasefire on land, sea and air. It also demands the release of all prisoners of war and the safe return of thousands of Ukrainian children it says were taken illegally to Russia. Ukraine wants solid security guarantees to stop future attacks and says there must be no limits on how many troops it can keep on its territory. Zelenskyy has also made clear that sanctions on Russia should be lifted only step by step, with a way to bring them back quickly if Moscow breaks any agreement.
United States’ aims
For Donald Trump, this is the first real chance to make progress in person on a promise he repeated during his campaign to end the war within ’24 hours’. Eight months into his presidency, that promise remains unfulfilled. Trump has said he wants a ceasefire ‘very, very quickly’ and has warned Russia of ‘very severe consequences’ if it keeps up its offensive. While he once suggested land swapping could be part of a deal, he has backed away from that after talks with European leaders. The White House has tried to lower expectations, calling this meeting a listening exercise but Trump has hinted that if this session goes well, another round could follow possibly with Zelenskyy included.
Europe’s concerns
European countries have been strong supporters of Ukraine, providing weapons, aid and shelter for millions of refugees. But they have been left out of this meeting and other recent talks between Russia and the US. Leaders from France, Germany, the UK, Italy, Poland, Finland and the EU have all stressed that any peace plan must involve Ukraine directly. French President Emmanuel Macron has said only the Ukrainian President can negotiate over Ukraine’s territory. Some European leaders have floated the idea of sending peacekeepers after the war ends, but Russia has firmly rejected that. Europe fears a deal made without Kyiv’s voice could lead to an outcome that weakens Ukraine’s security and changes the balance of power in the region.
Why Ukraine and Europe are worried
Kyiv and European capitals are nervous about these talks because Ukraine is not at the table. They fear Trump and Putin could discuss ideas like swapping land for peace that Ukraine would never accept. If Ukraine rejects such a deal, they worry that Trump might reduce US support for Kyiv. European countries also feel sidelined as Trump and Putin prefer direct talks without their involvement.
The idea of this meeting has been discussed since January, but both sides waited for the right moment. Putin was in no rush because he believes Russia is strong on the battlefield. Trump also waited, thinking a deal was unlikely. Things changed when Trump threatened new sanctions and tariffs unless Russia took steps toward ending the war. He also raised tariffs on Indian imports to punish India for buying Russian oil. Soon after, the Kremlin asked for a meeting.
The politics behind the Putin-Trump meeting
For Putin, this is a chance to look strong at home and abroad. Appearing alongside the US President in America sends a message that Russia still matters in global politics. For Trump, the meeting could help show progress toward his promise of ending the war. It could also boost his image as a peacemaker and support his hints about wanting a Nobel Peace Prize.
What could happen
There are several possible outcomes from the meeting:
- A promise to keep talking and maybe include Ukraine next time.
- A framework for a possible ceasefire, though this would be hard to agree on.
- Small humanitarian steps, such as prisoner exchanges or protecting civilian areas.
- Or, no real progress at all just the optics of two powerful leaders talking.
Whatever happens, both sides will present the meeting in a way that suits their political needs. For Putin, it will be proof that Russia is not isolated. For Trump, it will be a chance to say he is working for peace.
Without Ukraine’s agreement, any deal reached in Alaska would be very hard to put into action. But this meeting could be the start of a longer process. In a war that has already lasted more than three years, even small moves toward dialogue will be closely watched and debated around the world.