Anchorage (Alaska): U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are scheduled to meet on August 15 at 3:30 p.m. ET (11:30 a.m. local time) in Anchorage. The summit has captured global attention, with the eyes of Europe, Ukraine and the United States fixed on the event.
Trump told reporters on Air Force One that his goal was not to negotiate on behalf of Ukraine. “I am not there to make deals for Ukraine. My aim is to get Putin to the table,” he told reporters, clarifying that he would not promise security guarantees for Kyiv as part of any potential agreement.
He added that he had spoken to Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko ahead of the meeting.
Zelensky Sidelined?
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is not attending the summit. “Ukraine will be counting on America,” Zelensky emphasised.
Trump has suggested a future trilateral meeting with Zelensky if today’s summit goes well, a proposal the Ukrainian leader welcomed.
Time Zone Puzzle
Time differences add complexity to the summit. Moscow is 11 hours ahead of Anchorage, while Washington D.C. is 4 hours ahead. The White House and the Kremlin are separated by 7 hours.
Trump is expected to meet Putin shortly after 11 a.m. in Anchorage, which corresponds to 3 p.m. in Washington D.C. and 10 p.m. in Moscow.
Power Plays
Past summits hint at possible theatrics. Trump said he would gauge Putin’s seriousness about ending the war in Ukraine “within the first two minutes”.
At their Helsinki summit seven years ago, Putin kept Trump waiting for over an hour after landing only 10 minutes before the meeting.
Prolonged delays, as seen with former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, have been used as power plays by Putin.
Territorial Talks
Ahead of today, Trump spoke of possible territorial adjustments between Russia and Ukraine.
“You are looking at territory that has been fought over for three and a half years… A lot of Ukrainians have died. We are looking to get some back and some swapping. There will be some swapping of territories to the betterment of both,” he said.
The Russian foreign ministry maintains that Putin’s maximalist war goals remain unchanged, proposing that Ukraine cede the eastern Donbas region in exchange for a ceasefire.
Zelensky has refused to surrender the Donbas, saying it would allow Putin to “start a third war”.
Symbolic Gestures
Russian journalists flew to Alaska on a state-chartered plane and were served chicken Kyiv cutlets. RT chief Margarita Simonyan shared the detail on Telegram and called it a “good sign for the upcoming negotiations”.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov arrived wearing a sweatshirt emblazoned with “USSR” in Cyrillic, a nod to the Soviet era. Pro-Kremlin commentators framed these gestures as symbolic digs at Ukraine.
Diplomatic Concerns
Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, did not travel to Alaska. A senior administration official explained his absence, citing perceptions of him being “sympathetic to Ukraine”.
Kellogg has shared his insights with Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is not seen as soft on Russia.
European officials expressed concern, noting his absence reduces the depth of knowledge on Ukrainian positions.
Summit Duration and Agenda
The Kremlin expects the talks to last “at least 6 to 7 hours”, according to spokesperson Dmitry Peskov. The initial one-on-one conversation will include interpreters, followed by discussions over a business lunch.
Europe’s Expectations
European leaders want Trump to remain firm on Ukraine. They demand a lasting ceasefire, sanctions if Russia refuses, respect for international borders, robust security guarantees for Ukraine and no Russian veto over NATO or EU membership.
Meanwhile, Russia continues attacks in Ukraine. A missile strike killed a civilian in Dnipro and injured another, damaging a truck and a minibus. Civilian infrastructure in Sumy was hit and two Ukrainian police officers were killed in Donetsk’s Sviatohirsk region.
The Anchorage summit unfolds against this backdrop of ongoing conflict, heightened diplomacy and global scrutiny, with the world watching how Trump and Putin navigate the stakes for Ukraine and international security.