Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.
Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in
Next article
Trump suggests other European leaders, including Zelensky, could be invited to a second meeting following today’s summit
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
U.S. President Donald Trump has billed his summit with Vladimir Putin as “high stakes” as he flies to Anchorage, Alaska, for their first one-on-one meeting in seven years.
Trump is set to greet Putin when he exits his plane in Alaska at roughly 11 a.m. local time (3 p.m. E.T.), Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Russian state television.
Russian and U.S. delegations began arriving in the city on Friday, with footage showing Trump boarding Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland before its departure. On Truth Social, Trump posted a blunt two-word warning: “HIGH STAKES!!!”
Meanwhile, Russia’s veteran foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, was spotted in Anchorage in a vintage USSR sweatshirt. He told reporters Moscow “never plans ahead” – a remark that added to the uncertainty surrounding the talks.
Trump has vowed that the Russian president is “not going to mess around with me” as he attempts to secure a ceasefire deal. He also floated the possibility of bringing in European leaders, including Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky, for a second round of negotiations.
The White House said Friday’s programme will include a one-on-one meeting between the two presidents, a bilateral lunch with their delegations, and a joint press conference.
Democratic Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut joined MSNBC’s Morning Joe ahead of President Donald Trump’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin to share his thoughts on the summit.
Here’s, in part, what he said:
Well, the first thing that’s happening here is the welcoming of Putin back into the order of major mainstream nations. He is visiting the United States for the first time since he became a war criminal. He is standing with the most powerful person in the world.
And it is a sign from Donald Trump, essentially, that all is forgiven. And so this is a big moment for Putin because he essentially is being legitimized in the eyes of the United States and in the eyes of the world. We know there’s not going to be any major peace deal here, largely because one of the parties to the war isn’t at the table. You can’t sign a peace agreement if Zelenskyy isn’t there. And so there is not going to be any breakthrough.
And my worry is that, well, the photo-op in and of itself essentially legitimizes war crimes, telegraphs to other autocrats or evil men around the world that they can get away with murdering civilians and still get a photo-op with the president of the United States.
It could get worse, because if there is no agreement, if Putin thumbs his nose at Trump and then Trump does not follow through with more weapons for Ukraine or with any sanctions, then it’s essentially the final green light to Putin that he is going to be able to persecute this war without the intervention of the United States.
The stage is ready at Alaska’s Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson for a planned joint news conference between two leaders. A blue backdrop, emblazoned with “Pursuing Peace” in large letters, sets the scene. An American flag and a Russian flag stand prominently on the stage, flanking two podiums.
And here’s the stage set for the arrival of the two presidents:
Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund and a special adviser to President Vladimir Putin, spotted a bear earlier today ahead of the historic summit between Russia and the U.S.
The animal scampered off (worryingly toward a person who appeared to possibly be fishing), but Dmitriev says he hopes it’s a good sign for today’s talks.
RT’s Egor Piskunov gives viewers a tour of the facilities for Russian journalists covering today’s historic meeting.
They appear to be somewhat lacking.
Trump said he wouldn’t negotiate on behalf of Ukraine during the talks with Putin and that he would let the country decide if it wants to take part in territorial swaps with Russia.
“They’ll be discussed, but I’ve got to let Ukraine make that decision, and I think they’ll make a proper decision. But I’m not here to negotiate for Ukraine, I’m here to get them at a table,” said Trump on Air Force One, according to Reuters.
Trump added that he believes that the talks will be fruitful, pointing to the stakes and the weakening Russian economy.
“He’s a smart guy, been doing it for a long time, but so have I … we get along, there’s a good respect level on both sides, and I think, you know, something’s going to come of it,” said the president.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy has affirmed the UK’s unwavering support for Ukraine, ahead of today’s meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Alaska.
The foreign secretary took to X to declare: “The UK stands with Ukraine on what will be an important day for the future of Ukraine and Euro-Atlantic security.”
He added that in a conversation with Ukraine’s foreign affairs minister, Andrii Sybiha, he “reiterated our enduring support and our commitment to work with the U.S. and Ukraine to secure a just and lasting peace.”
Sybiha, in turn, commended the UK for its “principled stance on supporting” his nation. Following his discussions with Lammy, he described their exchange as “a meaningful conversation” focused on “securing a just and lasting peace for Ukraine.”
Writing on X, Sybiha stated: “I value the UK’s leadership in the Coalition of the Willing and its principled stance on supporting Ukraine.”
He further noted: “We focused on joint diplomatic efforts to bring closer a real peace for Ukraine and all of Europe. We also discussed ways to further enhance assistance to Ukraine, including long-term financial aid. We stand united in defending our shared security and democratic values.”
With just hours to go until Air Force One lands in Alaska, the weather is a cool (compared to Washington in August) 50 degrees Fahrenheit with some sun breaking through a mostly overcast sky.
The president’s iconic Boeing 747 and Russian President Vladimir Putin’s bespoke Ilyushin Il-96-300PU aircraft will arrive at the summit site, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, located roughly 11 miles from Anchorage.
According to the Russian side, Trump will greet Putin upon his arrival, which is tentatively set for around 11:30 am local time — 3:30 pm on the East Coast and 8:30 pm in the UK.
There’s a four-hour time difference between Anchorage and Washington.
JBER, as it is known, has a population of around 32,000 people who make up about a tenth of Alaska’s total population. It houses the Air Force’s 3rd Wing and is a key facility from which operations in Asia, the Arctic and the west coast of the U.S. are staged.
The massive facility, which was formed by combining Fort Richardson with Elmendorf Air Force Base in 2010, played a major role in monitoring Soviet activity during the Cold War. It’s a large facility that meets the security needs of a summit between Trump and Putin, but in recent years, it hasn’t been a frequent destination for presidents, save for occasional Air Force One refueling stops.
Putin is the second world leader to visit the base. The first visit by a head of state came in 1971, when the Air Force portion of the facility hosted Japanese Emperor Hirohito, when he became the first Japanese monarch to visit a foreign nation.
Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin will sit face-to-face for the first time in seven years on Friday for talks aimed at ending the war in Ukraine.
The Russian president will fly into Anchorage, the largest city in Alaska, where he will meet his US counterpart at a remote military installation which plays host to some of America’s most fearsome fighter jets. It has been visited by several US presidents in the past.
Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska’s largest military base, combines the Air Force’s Elmendorf base with the US Army’s Fort Richardson.
Read more:
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in