US President Donald Trump departed Washington on Friday, August 15, for Anchorage, Alaska, where he will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in a summit aimed at exploring ways to end the war in Ukraine.
Trump described the meeting as “high stakes” but stressed it would be a “listening exercise” rather than a formal negotiation, noting that no agreement would be reached without Ukraine’s participation. “I’m not here to negotiate for Ukraine. I’m here to get them at the table,” he told reporters before boarding Air Force One.
The talks, to be held at Joint Base Elmendorf–Richardson, are expected to address potential ceasefire terms and set the stage for a future multilateral summit. US officials said discussions may cover Russia’s demands for Ukrainian troop withdrawals and sanction relief, as well as Ukraine’s calls for a ceasefire, prisoner exchanges, and the return of deported children.
Trump estimated the chances of the summit failing at 25 per cent, warning of “very severe” consequences for Russia if talks collapse. Putin has signalled readiness for a “useful conversation” but cautioned that no binding agreements are expected at this stage.
The Alaska meeting marks the most direct US–Russia engagement on Ukraine in months and comes amid growing global pressure for a negotiated settlement to the conflict, now in its third year. Both leaders are scheduled to issue statements after the talks.
