President Trump and Vladimir Putin arrived this afternoon in Anchorage for a high-stakes summit that could reshape the war in Ukraine. As this newsletter landed in your inbox, the two leaders were still meeting behind closed doors along with their top aides.
Check here for the latest updates from my colleagues in Alaska.
Trump offered a warm welcome to Putin on the tarmac of Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson soon after the Russian leader landed. They shook hands, smiled broadly and walked down a red carpet to pose for pictures on a stage. Putin then rode alongside Trump in the president’s limousine without any visible translators — a highly unusual move for the leaders of two adversarial superpowers.
The outcome of today’s meeting, which a Kremlin spokesman said he expected to last at least six hours, is less predictable than most presidential summits. Among the issues that could shape the proceedings are whether Putin is prepared to discuss a cease-fire and whether Trump will apply the kind of pressure that Ukraine and its European allies have pushed for.
Before the meeting, Trump said he hoped to leave Alaska later tonight with an agreement to end the war in Ukraine. “I want to see a cease-fire rapidly,” the president said. “I don’t know if it’s going to be today. But I’m not going to be happy if it’s not today.”
Trump said that Ukraine could receive security assurances as part of a deal, but “not in the form of NATO” membership. He also said he expected to discuss land swaps between Ukraine and Russia — which Ukraine vehemently opposes — but added that “I’ve got to let Ukraine make that decision.”
For more on the summit:
Both Trump and Putin brought delegations that include diplomatic and economic officials, a sign that they will discuss more than the war.
The meeting is at least the seventh between the two leaders. Here’s a timeline of their relationship.
The meeting is taking place in a former Russian colony that the U.S. bought for $7.2 million in 1867. Here’s how the deal came together.