Alaska Summit: Trump to personally welcome Putin; Zelenskyy calls for ‘Just Peace’
The outcome of the summit remains uncertain, but geopolitical watchers note that the mere staging of the meeting has already altered the diplomatic narrative — for both Moscow and Washington.

US President Donald Trump is set to personally greet Russian President Vladimir Putin upon his arrival in Anchorage, Alaska, on Friday, the Kremlin confirmed. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin’s plane is expected to land at 11:00 a.m. local time (1900 GMT), ahead of high-stakes talks between the two leaders.
The summit, hosted at a Cold War-era air force base, is expected to focus on Ukraine, with Kyiv and Moscow both signaling their positions in advance.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed hope that the meeting could “open up a real path toward a just peace and a substantive discussion between leaders in a trilateral format.” In a post on X, Zelenskyy said he anticipated an intelligence briefing on Russia’s intentions and reiterated that “it is time to end the war” and that “necessary steps must be taken by Russia.”
While Washington and Kyiv frame the talks as an opportunity for diplomacy, Russian state media is portraying the summit as a geopolitical win for Putin. Kremlin-friendly outlets have hailed the Alaska invitation as a symbolic affirmation of Russia’s stature, with one headline declaring “Putin’s victory.” The venue itself has been highlighted for its symbolism, as Alaska was sold to the US by Tsarist Russia in the 19th century.
Moscow is reportedly pushing for Ukraine to cede control of four partially occupied regions — Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson — though Kyiv has flatly rejected any territorial concessions. Analysts suggest that freezing the current front lines could be floated during discussions.
Some Russian commentators have welcomed the exclusion of European leaders from the Alaska talks, even criticizing European efforts to influence the negotiations. The daily Kommersant characterized this dynamic under the headline: “Dancing around Alaska — Europe and Ukraine move to get between the US and Russia.”
The outcome of the summit remains uncertain, but geopolitical watchers note that the mere staging of the meeting has already altered the diplomatic narrative — for both Moscow and Washington.
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