Trump and Putin Meet in Alaska for High-Stakes War Talks

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in Alaska on Friday for a high-risk summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a meeting that both leaders described as potentially productive but which could collapse within minutes if no progress is made on ending the war in Ukraine.

Trump said he would quickly judge the meeting’s prospects, warning he could walk away if Putin refuses to compromise. The Kremlin, however, indicated the talks would last six to seven hours.

The summit marks Putin’s first trip to Western soil since ordering the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, a conflict that has killed tens of thousands. While Russia has made recent battlefield advances, Ukraine announced shortly before the talks that it had recaptured several villages.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One en route to Anchorage, Trump struck a cautiously optimistic tone. “There’s a good respect level on both sides and I think something’s going to come out of it,” he said.

The White House announced Friday that Trump had dropped plans for a one-on-one meeting with Putin. Instead, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff would join him before a working lunch. White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt confirmed that both delegations would share a midday meal ahead of formal talks.

Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters the meeting would run six to seven hours. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, wearing a shirt emblazoned with “USSR” in Cyrillic, said Moscow would make no predictions about the outcome. “Our position is clear and unambiguous,” he said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, excluded from the Alaska summit despite pressure from Trump to concede Russian-held territory, reiterated his stance in a social media post: “It is time to end the war, and the necessary steps must be taken by Russia. We are counting on America.”

Trump described the Alaska meeting as a “feel-out” session, not a negotiation, aimed at bringing Russian and Ukrainian leaders to the table. He said any final settlement would occur in a trilateral meeting with Putin and Zelensky to “divvy up” territory, with consultations involving European leaders.

Trump has vowed to secure peace within 24 hours, blaming predecessor Joe Biden for the war. He has repeatedly expressed frustration with Putin and warned of “very severe” consequences if the Russian leader rejects a ceasefire.

“I would walk from the table if the meeting didn’t go well,” Trump told reporters, adding he “wouldn’t be happy” if no immediate ceasefire could be reached.

The talks are being held at Elmendorf Air Force Base, the largest U.S. military installation in Alaska and a key Cold War surveillance site. Neither leader is expected to leave the base, where protesters in Anchorage have displayed signs in solidarity with Ukraine.

The meeting is a sharp departure from the position of Western European leaders and President Biden, who have refused to engage with Russia on Ukraine without Kyiv’s participation. Putin, wanted by the International Criminal Court, has sharply curtailed his foreign travel since the invasion.

The United States, not a party to the ICC, temporarily eased sanctions on top Russian officials to allow travel and financial transactions in Alaska.

Zelensky has called the summit a “personal victory” for Putin, claiming it allows him to “come out of isolation” and delay sanctions that Trump had threatened if no progress is made.

🚨 #BREAKING: The Historic Handshake - Trump & Putin Meet in Alaska

The world watches as two global leaders come face-to-face in a moment that could reshape geopolitics.

📍 Alaska Summit | August 15, 2025

🎥 THE HANDSHAKE THAT WAS SEEN AROUND THE WORLD pic.twitter.com/e9E1eRN4D4

— Kurdistan 24 English (@K24English) August 15, 2025