President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin have touched down in Anchorage, Alaska, launching a pivotal summit aimed at halting the devastating conflict in Ukraine.
According to Fox News, the leaders met on Friday at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, initiating talks that started around 3:30 p.m. EST. The Kremlin suggests these discussions could stretch up to seven hours, underscoring the gravity of the issues at hand.
This summit marks the first face-to-face encounter between U.S. and Russian heads of state since Putin’s invasion of Ukraine began over three and a half years ago. The stakes couldn’t be higher as both leaders seek a path to peace amid global scrutiny.
Trump was clear before the meeting, stating he would not concede territorial ground in Ukraine as part of any deal. Yet whispers of a potential minerals agreement with Moscow have raised eyebrows, given how such a move could bolster Russia’s economy and, by extension, its military funding.
The president told reporters on Thursday he’d hold off on commenting about any mining deal until after the talks unfold. Optics matter here; rewarding Russia with economic perks while war rages feels like a risky play to many watching closely.
Both delegations arrived with heavy hitters in tow, signaling that trade and economics are on the table alongside peace talks. U.S. Secretary Scott Bessent and Commerce Secretary Scott Lutnick joined Trump, while Russia brought Direct Investment Fund CEO Kirill Dmitriev and Finance Minister Anton Siluanov.
The U.S. team in Anchorage includes not just economic advisors but also Secretary Pete Hegseth, Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who made the roughly eight-hour trek for these expanded bilateral discussions. A working lunch is also part of the agenda, hinting at a marathon of diplomacy.
Only Witkoff and Rubio will join Trump in the direct meeting with Putin, while the Russian leader is expected to have Foreign Minister Lavrov by his side. Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov also made the long flight, though his presence in the room remains unconfirmed.
These carefully chosen participants reflect the weight of the moment, with each side balancing military, diplomatic, and economic expertise. It’s a chessboard of influence, and every move will be dissected for intent and impact.
Trump has promised to reach out to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders right after the summit wraps up. This gesture suggests an intent to keep allies in the loop, especially those directly affected by any potential agreements.
Whether Trump and Putin will face the press afterward remains up in the air, leaving the world waiting for scraps of insight into what was discussed. In an era where transparency often takes a backseat, this silence could fuel more speculation than resolution.
The Ukraine conflict has bled into global stability for far too long, and many hope this meeting might at least crack open a door to peace. But if history teaches anything, it’s that deals with Russia come with fine print worth scrutinizing.
Let’s be frank: negotiating with Putin is like dancing on a tightrope over a pit of spikes. Trump’s firm stance on no territorial concessions is a start, but any economic carrots dangled before Moscow risk looking like appeasement to a regime that’s shown little remorse for its aggression.
The presence of top business minds in both delegations hints at deals that could reshape alliances or, worse, embolden Russia’s war machine under the guise of diplomacy. Americans deserve clarity on whether their interests, not just Ukraine’s, are being safeguarded at this table.
This Anchorage summit is a rare chance to dial down a war that’s cost countless lives and destabilized entire regions, but it’s no time for naive optimism. If Trump can thread the needle between strength and compromise without handing Putin a win, he’ll have pulled off a diplomatic coup worth watching.
