Details on Trump-Putin Meeting in Alaska
- Olga Nesterova
- Aug 14
- 3 min read

The much-anticipated meeting between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to begin Friday at 3:30 p.m. ET at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, located just north of Anchorage, Alaska. This joint Air Force-Army base — currently home to F-22 Raptors — has historically played a key role in countering the Soviet Union and launching intercept missions against Russian and Chinese aircraft.
The summit will open with a private, one-on-one meeting between Trump and Putin, with only [Russian] interpreters present.
Delegations:
Russian Delegation:
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Defense Minister Andrey Belousov, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov, Russian Direct Investment Fund (RFPI) head Kirill Dmitriev, and presidential adviser Yuri Ushakov.
U.S. Delegation:
Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and Special Envoy Steven Witkoff.
In preparation for the summit, the U.S. has temporarily eased certain sanctions on Russia, specifically to allow commercial transactions and aviation access — enabling the Russian delegation’s arrival.
Strategic Implications:
Officially, the summit is being described as a “listening exercise” ahead of a “potential trilateral meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy” — a meeting to which Russia has never agreed. However, sources suggest that Trump is preparing to propose a more substantial deal behind closed doors: offering Russia a stake in a U.S.-Ukraine rare earth minerals partnership.
These minerals are vital to global tech and defense industries, and the reported deal may include access to deposits located in Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories. Treasury Secretary Bessent has stated that “if Moscow refuses the offer, harsher sanctions could follow”.
Russian and International Responses:
President Putin reportedly met with Russia’s leadership to prepare for the summit. In a statement, he acknowledged the U.S. administration is making “rather energetic and sincere efforts to end the hostilities, to end the crisis.” However, there is no indication of a similar effort from the Russian side.
Trump commented on the upcoming talks, stating, “It will be a give and take on boundaries and lands.” This raises concerns, as Trump does not have the authority to concede Ukrainian territory. It remains unclear which “lands” he is referring to.
According to Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation (TsPD), Putin is preparing so-called “historical materials” — including geographical maps — intended to argue that Ukraine is an artificial state.
These materials are expected to be used to justify Russia’s military aggression and territorial claims.
Critics point out that most modern nations were once part of other empires, including Russia itself, which was once part of the Golden Horde. Parts of present-day Russia historically belonged to Germany, Sweden, and Finland, among others.
Additional Developments:
A Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson reaffirmed Moscow’s unchanged stance, citing Putin’s past statements that Russia seeks control over all the Ukrainian territories it partially occupies and demands Ukraine abandon its aspirations to join NATO.
President Zelenskyy asserted that diplomacy regarding Ukraine and Europe must involve both Ukraine and European nations. He emphasized that peace must come with strong, enforceable security guarantees.
France, Germany, and the United Kingdom issued a joint statement confirming their readiness to deploy a “reassurance force” once fighting ends and insisted there should be “no limitation” on Ukraine’s military capabilities or international partnerships.
This summit marks a critical juncture in the ongoing conflict and could significantly shape the future of U.S.-Russia relations, Ukraine’s sovereignty, and the geopolitical balance in Europe.
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