Trump and Putin to meet in Alaska

US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin will hold a summit on Aug 15 in Alaska, both leaders confirmed this week. The meeting marks their first in-person talks since 2021 and follows months of escalating US pressure on Russia over the Ukraine conflict.

Trump announced the meeting via his Truth Social platform on Aug 8, stating, "Will be meeting with Vladimir Putin in Alaska next week — big things on the table!" Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov confirmed the details hours later, noting the talks would focus on a "long-term peaceful solution for Ukraine".

The choice of Alaska — where Russia and the US are separated by around 85 kilometers across the Bering Strait — carries deep historical weight. Putin will become the first Russian leader to visit Alaska, a region Russia sold to the US in 1867. Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy welcomed the event, calling the state "a bridge between nations".

In remarks on Aug 8, Trump hinted at potential land swaps between Ukraine and Russia, stating, "We're actually going to take back some land and exchange some...There will be territorial adjustments beneficial to both sides." While he provided no specifics, sources indicate US and Russian officials are drafting proposals involving recognition of Russian-controlled territories (Luhansk, Donetsk, Crimea) in exchange for Russia relinquishing claims to Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. Trump also asserted his interventions prevented the Ukraine crisis from escalating into "World War III".

On Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, excluded from the summit, urgently coordinated with European leaders after Trump declared Putin did not need to meet him first. In a video address, Zelensky insisted Russia must "initiate a ceasefire" and stressed Europe's role in ensuring "just and lasting peace".

Meanwhile, according to American news media platform Axios, senior US, Ukrainian, and European officials will gather this weekend in London to align positions, fearing Trump may accept Putin's terms without consulting allies.

The US-Russian summit occurs just days after Trump imposed 25 percent tariffs on Indian goods to punish New Delhi for buying Russian oil — a move underscoring his pressure campaign on Moscow. European leaders, though briefed by Trump, were reportedly "stunned" by their exclusion from the talks. Kremlin aide Ushakov acknowledged preparations "won't be easy", and revealed Russia has invited Trump for a follow-up meeting on Russian soil.