Trump will know within 'first two minutes' if Putin meeting will be a success

In a White House briefing on Thursday, Trump pointed to the possibility of his meeting with Putin going wrong.

"We're going to find out where everybody stands, and I'll know within the first two minutes, three minutes, four minutes or five minutes. We tend to find out whether or not we're going to have a good meeting or a bad meeting, and if it's a bad meeting, it'll end very quickly," Trump said.

"And if it's a good meeting, we'll then end up getting peace in the pretty near future."

Trump's 'condescending gesture' to Putin to gain power advantage

Donald Trump made a "condescending gesture" towards Vladimir Putin after the two world leaders met for their crunch summit this evening, an expert has said.

While the meeting appeared to begin with an all-too warm reception for the Russian premier, who has presided over a brutal invasion of Ukraine and killed tens of thousands, a body language expert has said Mr Trump was "condescending" towards Putin.

Body language analyst Darren Stanton told the Mirror Mr Trump appeared to shy away from his usual "bone-crusher handshake", replacing it with a "hand tap". Mr Stanton said the move was a "condescending gesture" despite what appeared to be an otherwise warm greeting.

Full story here: Trump's 'condescending gesture' to Putin to gain power advantage

Trump kicks off fundraising campaign as he holds talks with Putin

Donald Trump's team have circulated an email to his supporters asking for $10 donations while he holds talks with Putin in Alaska.

The email, titled "TRUMP IN ALASKA! WITH PUTIN!" reads: "I'm meeting with Putin in Alaska! It's a little chilly. THIS MEETING IS VERY HIGH STAKES for the world. The Democrats would love nothing more than for ME TO FAIL. No one in the world knows how to make deals like me!

"TONIGHT at midnight my VERY CRITICAL Fundraising Deadline hits, and the Radical Left is watching our numbers this night of all nights to see if we miss... BUT, I'm launching the TRUMP BLITZ where every Patriot reading this message will give $10 to STAND WITH TRUMP!"

Putin health fears as dictator seen limping from plane

Russian leader Vladimir Putin's health has come under scrutiny after he was seen limping during as he prepared to meet Donald Trump.

The dictator was forced to take a pause halfway down the stairs of his presidential plane tonight before meeting the US President. It happened just before their crucial talks in Alaska, aimed at forging a peace plan for Ukraine.

Rumours regarding Putin's health have been circulating for years, and his arrival in Anchorage will only add fuel to the fire. The 72-year-old seemed to wince as he walked along the red carpet to greet Mr Trump, where they eventually exchanged pleasantries and handshakes.

Full story here: Putin health fears as dictator seen limping from plane

Putin smirks as reporter asks him if he'll stop killing civilians

Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin shook hands and exchanged a few words before walking together down a red carpet laid out at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska, the site of their long-anticipated meeting. Both men smiled for the cameras but declined to answer questions shouted by reporters.

A US Air Force B-2 bomber thundered overhead as the two leaders posed for photographs. When asked by a reporter if he would stop killing civilians, Putin smirked and pointed to his ear.

Trump and Putin's shared limousine ride is 'unusual'

In an extraordinary show of personal diplomacy, Trump and Putin climbed into the same armoured presidential vehicle, known as "the Beast", and drove away together.

The ride was conducted without visible interpreters, although the Russian leader speaks English well enough to hold a conversation. It is highly unusual for the leaders of two adversarial superpowers to share a limousine, and the move will fuel speculation over what the pair discussed in private, echoing a little-documented conversation they held in Hamburg in 2017 at the start of Trump’s first term.

Chaotic scenes ahead of summit as Putin is grilled by media

In a chaotic twist before their Alaska summit, Vladimir Putin was bombarded with questions from reporters, who shouted "How can the US trust your word? Will you stop killing?"

The tense clash unfolded in a packed media room with cameras rolling, with neither Putin nor Trump scheduled to speak before the talks.

Meeting is under way

Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin's meeting in Alaska has begun.

Trump is joined by US secretary of state Marco Rubio and envoy Steve Witkoff, while Putin is attending alongside Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov and aide Yuri Ushakov.

Pictured: Trump and Putin re-unite after six years

Trump and Putin drive off to summit venue together

Trump and Putin are travelling to the summit venue together. The leaders greeted each other with smiles and a firm handshake as they stood on a red carpet laid out for the occasion.

They first made their way towards their waiting vehicles, but despite Putin's "Aurus" limousine waiting on the tarmac, he got into the American presidential limousine, known as "the Beast".

Putin was seen smiling inside the vehicle as Trump appeared to be waving to the crowds.

Trump and Putin both entered President Trump's armored car and drove off together pic.twitter.com/kwPxBa87Y8

— OSZ (@OpenSourceZone) August 15, 2025

Trump and Putin shake hands

Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin have re-united in Alaska more than six years after their last meeting.

Trump was seen clapping as Putin walked down the red carpet. The two leaders shook hands after stepping off their planes at the Elmendorf-Richardson military base in Anchorage.

Putin arrives to group holding up 'stand with Ukraine' flags

Ukraine supporters are standing outside the military base where Trump and Putin are about to meet holding up large Ukranian flags which read "Stand with Ukraine."

Ukraine supporters outside the military base where Trump and Putin are about to meet pic.twitter.com/xjXrvdTiNu

— Nico Maounis (@nicomaounis) August 15, 2025

Display of American military power as Putin arrives

Moments ago, Donald Trump touched down in Anchorage aboard Air Force One, though he has yet to make a public appearance. His deputy chief of staff, Dan Scavino, has been sharing behind-the-scenes glimpses from the flight, including a short video showing a display of American military power.

Air Force OneAlaska… https://t.co/0VfYFICa7m pic.twitter.com/k9tbUU4YYl

— Dan Scavino (@Scavino47) August 15, 2025

Putin touches down in Alaska

Vladimir Putin has arrived in Alaska.

A Kremlin spokesperson earlier said Trump will meet him on the steps of the Russian president's aircraft.

Trump speaks to reporters aboard Air Force One

Trump has spoken to reporters aboard his Air Force One while en route to Anchorage.

The US President departed Washington around six hours earlier for a high-risk summit with Putin that could prove decisive for the future of Ukraine.

Trump to be joined by Marco Rubio and Steve Witkoff in meeting with Putin

Karoline Leavitt said the previously planned one-on-one meeting between Trump and Putin is now a three-on-three meeting that will include Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff. Interpreters are also expected to be in attendance.

The meeting was earlier described as a one-on-one between the two leaders.

Trump's Air Force One lands in Alaska

Donald Trump's Air Force One is now landing in Anchorage, Alaska, for his high stakes chat with Putin this evening.

President Trump is COMING IN FOR A LANDING in Anchorage, Alaska, for his high stakes meeting with Putin.

There's Air Force One.

Go make peace, Mr. President. The entire world is watching. pic.twitter.com/37RFalQvva

— Adnan Watoo (@adnan_wato48534) August 15, 2025

US rolls out red carpet for Putin

A red carpet awaits Vladimir Putin on US soil ahead of his meeting with Trump.

The US military have also erected a large 'Alaska 2025' sign on a platform.

NOW: The United States has rolled out the RED CARPET ahead of Vladimir Putin and President Trump's arrival in Alaska. The stage is set.

This meeting was put on with VERY short notice.

Pray for peace. pic.twitter.com/bujmQR3M1A

— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) August 15, 2025

Watch: Russian Government plane arrives in Alaska

BREAKING NEWS
President PUTIN arrives in Alaska.
The world’s most-watched plane landed after nearly half a million people tracked its flight from Magadan to Elmendorf Air Force Base.
For the first time in history, a red carpet awaits Putin on American soil. pic.twitter.com/P4GgHnH4iW

— RussiaNews (@mog_russEN) August 15, 2025

President Zelensky says he's 'counting on America'

Vlodymyr Zelensky says he is "counting on America" ahead of Trump-Putin talks in Alaska today. The Ukrainian president expressed hope that the upcoming peace summit between the two leaders will pave the way for a three-way meeting, bringing Ukraine directly into the peacemaking process.

In a post on X, he wrote: "The key thing is that this meeting should open up a real path toward a just peace and a substantive discussion between leaders in a trilateral format - Ukraine, the United States, and the Russian side.

"It is time to end the war, and the necessary steps must be taken by Russia. We are counting on America. We are ready, as always, to work as productively as possible."

Putin adviser bullish on talks after run-in with bear

Kirill Dmitriev, a Putin adviser in charge of Russia's sovereign wealth fund, ran into a bear in the wilds of Alaska and filmed the encounter in a clip posted to X.

"Met a bear in Alaska before the US-Russia Summit," Dmitriev wrote. "Hopefully a good sign," he added with a smiley face emoji.

Met a bear in Alaska before the US-Russia Summit. Hopefully a good sign. ☺️ pic.twitter.com/s6QXmQr5UG

— Kirill A. Dmitriev (@kadmitriev) August 15, 2025

Trump threatens to 'walk' if meeting with Putin goes badly

Donald Trump has said he 'would walk' if his meeting with Putin doesn't go well, Fox News reports.

It comes after he warned there was a 25% chance that the summit may fail. "If it's a bad meeting, I'm not calling anybody. I'm going home," he told Fox News Radio earlier. "But if it's a good meeting, I'm going to call President Zelensky and the European leaders."

Summit could last up to seven hours, Peskov says

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov says talks between Trump and Putin this evening could last up to seven hours.

A previous summit in Helsinki took around two hours.

Trump says meeting with Putin will 'save a lot of lives'

At a White House press briefing on Thursday, Trump was asked if he was ready to give Putin access to rare earth minerals to end the war in Ukraine.

He replied the "big, important meeting" the leaders are due to have in Alaska is "going to save a lot of lives", but an even "more important" meeting - with Putin and Zelensky, and possibly European leaders - will be held after. "We'll see if they can get along," he says of the leaders, adding that he believes the pair can "make peace".

'He's not welcome': Alaska resident speaks out

Meg Leonard proudly hangs a Ukrainian flag in the front garden of her Alaska home.

A one-time Republican who describes herself as a "never Trumper", Meg tells Sky News that Vladimir Putin is "not welcome" in her home town.

After admitting she was disgusted that the meeting is being held without Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Meg said: "Trump should not be making decisions for Ukraine. Zelenskyy should at least have a voice in what is being decided. It is his country and his people.

"Putin's going to be five miles from here. He's not welcome by me. He is an international criminal; he should be arrested. He is killing women and children, and people in hospitals."

Putin visits ice hockey rink on way to Alaska

Vladimir Putin has been pictured visiting an ice hockey rink in Magadan before setting off for Alaska.

The Russian president has been spotted watching some children play ice hockey, still in the far east Russian city ahead of the meeting with Donald Trump later today.

State media reported that Putin also laid flowers at a Second World War memorial to mark VJ Day while in Magadan.

WATCH: Trump boards Air Force One

Trump and Putin meeting is 'first step towards serious negotiations'

Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin’s summit on Ukraine could be a “first step towards serious negotiations” for peace, the Defence Secretary has suggested.

John Healey said the end to any conflict “must come from diplomacy”, before Friday’s meeting between the two leaders in Alaska.

Cabinet minister Mr Healey was asked what lessons from VJ Day – which is being commemorated on Friday – could be applied in the present day ahead of Trump meeting the Russian leader.

He told BBC Breakfast: “The first lesson is that military and fighting solves nothing in the end, and that the end to war must come through talking, must come from diplomacy. So today in Alaska is what I hope, we all hope to see, a first step towards serious negotiations.”

Territorial swaps 'will be discussed' but decision to be left to Ukraine, Trump says

Trump, while on AIr Force One, spoke about territoiral swaps and said: "They will be discussed, but I've got to let Ukraine make that decision, and I think they'll make a proper decision."

He added: "But I'm not here to negotiate for Ukraine."

The US President did also say that he would not "be doing business" with Putin until "we get the war settles".

Trump said: "I notice he's bringing a lot of business from Russia, and that's good. I like that, because they want to do business, but we're not doing business until we get the war settled."

Putin signs secret North Korea deal with Kim Jong-Un hours before Trump showdown

Russian President Vladimir Putin did a deal with North Korean despot Kim Jong-Un to recruit another 6,000 troops from the rogue state as he prepared for today’s Alaska meeting.

Ukrainian intelligence believes Kim agreed to sell Putin another 100 tanks and even more armoured personnel carriers to bolster his assault on the frontline.

Intelligence estimates calculate that a staggering 40% of ammunition being fired at Ukrainian troops by North Korean soldiers and a huge force of Russians comes from Pyongyang.

News of Putin’s dastardly deal, adding to the 14,000 North Korean troops he has already sent into ferocious attacks on Ukrainian forces comes as another Russian bomber crashed.

Read more from the Mirror's Defence and Security Editor Chris Hughes:Putin signs secret North Korea troops deal with Kim Jong-Un hours before Trump showdown