The White House announced Thursday that U.S. President Donald Trump will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin at 11 a.m. Friday in Anchorage, Alaska, at a Cold War-era air force base. This will mark their first face-to-face talks since Trump returned to the White House.
Trump will depart the White House at 6:45 a.m. Eastern Time and leave Anchorage at 5:45 p.m. Alaska Time, returning to Washington early Saturday morning.
The summit comes amid concerns from Ukraine and European allies that Trump could make concessions to Moscow without Kyiv’s participation. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was not invited to Friday’s meeting.
Trump Seeks Ceasefire, Boosts Peace Credentials
Trump has repeatedly emphasized his desire to end the war in Ukraine, framing a truce as a step toward strengthening his credentials as a global peacemaker and positioning himself for a potential Nobel Peace Prize.
During a Wednesday conference call, Trump assured Ukraine and European leaders that Kyiv would be involved in any discussions about territorial concessions and supported the idea of post-war security guarantees, though he has not publicly committed to them. The call eased fears of a Trump-Putin agreement that could pressure Ukraine into unwanted concessions.
Putin, facing economic strain from Western sanctions, reportedly needs Trump to help ease or prevent further penalties. On the eve of the summit, Putin hinted at a possible new nuclear arms control deal, replacing the last remaining agreement set to expire in February 2026.
Trump expressed optimism that Putin would agree on Ukraine but has fluctuated on the likelihood of a breakthrough. Meanwhile, Putin praised what he described as “sincere efforts” by the United States to end the conflict. A Kremlin source told Reuters that the two sides appear to have found some unspecified common ground prior to the meeting.
Ceasefire Prospects and Strategic Calculations
Putin has set stringent conditions for a full ceasefire, though analysts suggest a phased truce in the air war could be a potential compromise. Both sides have accused each other of violating prior agreements.
Sam Greene, director of Democratic Resilience at the Center for European Policy Analysis, warned that Putin could agree to a truce while retaining the ability to escalate in Ukraine, maintaining strategic leverage without genuine deterrence on the ground or in the skies.
Potential Territorial Discussions
Trump has suggested that land transfers between Russia and Ukraine might be a way to resolve the conflict, though Zelenskyy has ruled out ceding territory and accused Putin of bluffing to avoid U.S. sanctions. Putin, whose forces control nearly one-fifth of Ukraine, reportedly wants to revive economic and political ties with the U.S. without tying progress to concessions in Ukraine.
However, it remains unclear whether Putin is willing to compromise. After a quarter-century in power, the Russian leader has tied his legacy to achieving tangible results from the war. His primary war objectives include:
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Full Russian control over the Donbas industrial region (Donetsk and Luhansk), though roughly 25% of Donetsk remains outside Russian control.
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Complete control of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions.
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Preventing NATO membership for Kyiv.
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Limiting the size of Ukraine’s armed forces.
Ukraine has rejected these terms, viewing them as tantamount to capitulation.
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