After months of failed diplomatic attempts to bring the war in Ukraine to a close, U.S. President Donald Trump is facing a pivotal moment as he sits down for a rare face-to-face meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The summit, taking place at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, is aimed at pushing forward a peace deal that has so far eluded world leaders since Russia’s invasion in 2022.
The meeting comes against the backdrop of deep skepticism, as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy excluded from this initial round has categorically rejected territorial concessions as part of any agreement.
A Meeting with History in the Background
The summit’s venue carries a symbolic weight. Alaska, once a Russian territory, was sold to the United States for $7.2 million in 1867 a transaction that still fuels nationalist nostalgia in some corners of Russia. While the idea of “returning” Alaska remains fringe, it has resurfaced in public discourse as Putin steps onto U.S. soil for the talks. The location, a military base housing around 30,000 service members and civilians, also underscores the strategic stakes of the meeting.
The meeting is scheduled to start at 11 a.m. Alaska Daylight Time (3 p.m. Eastern), with both leaders expected to speak to the press afterward.
Trump Downplays Expectations For Now
On the eve of the summit, Trump played down expectations, calling this meeting a “first step” and emphasizing that the more significant discussion will be a trilateral one with Zelenskyy and Putin present.
“We’re going to see what happens,” Trump said on August 14 before boarding Air Force One. “I think President Putin will make peace. I think President Zelensky will make peace. We’ll see if they can get along, and if they can, it’ll be great.”
En route to Alaska, Trump described Putin as “a smart guy” and noted that the Russian leader was bringing a delegation heavy with business representatives. “That’s good. I like that,” Trump said. “Because they want to do business, but they’re not doing business until we get the war out.”
Pressure Tactics Before the Summit
The talks follow a sharp escalation in Trump’s pressure campaign. On July 28, the president issued a blunt ultimatum to Moscow: declare a ceasefire within 10–12 days or face sanctions. While Russia did not comply, Trump pivoted to announcing this high-profile meeting on August 8.
Complicating matters, Trump has also moved to impose a 25% secondary tariff on India for buying Russian oil—penalizing a major market for Moscow. Asked whether the tariff influenced Putin’s willingness to meet, Trump said, “Everything has an impact… Certainly, when you lose your second largest customer and you’re probably going to lose your first largest customer, I think that probably has a role.”
The Territorial Concession Debate
One of the most contentious issues looming over the summit is Trump’s suggestion of “some swapping of territories” as part of a final settlement remarks that have drawn an angry rebuke from Kyiv. Zelenskyy has called such a proposal unconstitutional and vowed that “Ukrainians will not give their land to the occupier.”
Putin, meanwhile, continues to claim sovereignty over four Ukrainian regions Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson as well as Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014.
Trump has expressed frustration with Zelenskyy’s refusal to consider land swaps, telling reporters on August 11 that he was “a little bothered” by the Ukrainian leader’s stance. “There will be some swapping. There will be some changes in land,” Trump insisted.
The Trump-Putin relationship, often a lightning rod for criticism, is once again in the global spotlight. During his first term, Trump was widely criticized for embracing Putin’s denial of interference in the 2016 U.S. election, despite assessments from American intelligence agencies. He also faced impeachment in 2019 over allegations he pressured Zelenskyy to investigate political rival Joe Biden.
While Trump has generally maintained warm rhetoric toward Putin, his tone has hardened in recent weeks. On August 13, he warned there would be “very severe consequences” if the Russian leader refuses to agree to end the war.
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, a Trump ally, called Putin’s intensification of attacks on Ukraine ahead of the meeting “a sign of very bad faith.”
What’s Next?
If today’s meeting produces any progress, Trump says the next step will be a direct three-way summit with both Putin and Zelenskyy. Until then, the world will be watching to see whether this high-profile encounter can break the deadlock or deepen the divisions over how to end Europe’s most devastating war in decades.