The summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin is now underway in Anchorage, Alaska — their first one-on-one meeting in seven years.
The two leaders greeted each other on a red carpet set between Air Force fighter jets at the end of a long red carpet. After shaking hands, they both got into the back of “The Beast,” the U.S. president’s limousine.
Russian and U.S. delegations began arriving in the city on Friday, with footage showing Trump boarding Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland before its departure. On Truth Social, Trump posted a blunt two-word warning: “HIGH STAKES!!!”
Meanwhile, Russia’s veteran foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, was spotted in Anchorage in a vintage USSR sweatshirt. He told reporters Moscow “never plans ahead” – a remark that added to the uncertainty surrounding the talks.
Trump has vowed that the Russian president is “not going to mess around with me” as he attempts to secure a ceasefire deal. He also floated the possibility of bringing in European leaders, including Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky, for a second round of negotiations.
The White House said Friday’s amended schedule consists of a three-on-three meeting between the two delegations, a bilateral lunch and an expanded meeting, and a joint press conference.
Read More
Ukraine-Russia latest: Key points
- Watch LIVE: Trump and Putin meet in Alaska for historic summit over Ukraine
- Trump and Putin ride together in back of 'The Beast'
- Trump now bringing backup to Putin meeting
- Report: On the ground in Anchorage ahead of historic summit
- UK foreign secretary reiterates 'enduring support' for Ukraine and for peace
Trump and Putin arrive at meeting venue
20:33
,
Oliver O'Connell
The motorcade carrying President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived at a base facility ahead of their anticipated meeting and a subsequent news conference.
There was a brief photo spray before the meeting.
The two leaders sat side by side in a room at the base.
They made no statements and answered no questions as reporters shouted queries.
The reporters were quickly ushered out of the room.
Watch moment Trump and Putin greet each other in Alaska
20:29
,
Oliver O'Connell
Trump and Putin ride together in back of 'The Beast'
20:17
,
Oliver O'Connell
President Donald Trump and President Vladimir Putin each deplaned at 11:08 local time. The two leaders walked down the red carpets that had been rolled out to their respective planes and met where the carpets intersected, with Trump arriving at the spot first and clapping as Putin approached.
They shook hands, exchanged greetings, and then proceeded side by side to the riser, which is positioned about 50 feet from reporters.
The two leaders stepped onto the riser as a flyover of military aircraft, including B-2s and F-22s, passed overhead. They stood looking toward the press but did not respond to shouted questions. They shook hands again and stepped off the riser.
To great surprise, as they exited the podium, both leaders got into the back of the same limousine — “The Beast.”
Both leaders were chatting with each other and smiling as they took their seats.
Trump and Putin greet each other and shake hands
20:14
,
Oliver O'Connell
Trump and Putin have exited their planes
20:10
,
Oliver O'Connell
President Donald Trump was the first to exit his plane, followed seconds later by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The two leaders will now greet each other on the red carpet before the official welcome.
20:07
,
Oliver O'Connell
20:02
,
Oliver O'Connell
Andrew Feinberg reports from Anchorage, Alaska:
President Vladimir Putin's plane landed at roughly 10:50 a.m.
It came to a stop on the tarmac at 10:58 a.m.
Both President Donald Trump and Putin are expected to deplane, walk down the red carpet and meet near the riser for the official greeting.
Putin has landed
19:58
,
Oliver O'Connell
A Russian plane carrying Vladimir Putin has now landed at the airbase outside of Anchorage.
Zelensky hopes for 'strong position' from Trump at Putin meeting
19:52
,
Oliver O'Connell
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed his hope for a “strong position from the U.S.” ahead of talks between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska.
Speaking in a video address on Friday, Zelensky stated: “Everyone wants an honest end to the war. Ukraine is ready to work as productively as possible to end the war, and we hope for a strong position from the U.S.”
The Ukrainian leader also stressed that Russia “is still killing people” despite the upcoming negotiations.
He added: “The war continues and it continues precisely because there is no order, nor any signals from Moscow that it is preparing to end this war.”
Watch his remarks below:
On the day of negotiations, the Russians are killing as well. And that speaks volumes. Recently, weʼve discussed with the U.S. and Europeans what can truly work. Everyone needs a just end to the war. Ukraine is ready to work as productively as possible to bring the war to an end,… pic.twitter.com/tmN8F4jDzl
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) August 15, 2025
Trump yet to deplane, Putin yet to land
19:49
,
Oliver O'Connell
President Donald Trump has been on the ground for some time now, but has yet to deplane. It appears we are waiting for President Vladimir Putin to arrive.
Trump is currently greeting Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy and Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan aboard Air Force One, per the White House.
He is also greeting Lt. Gen. Case Cunningham, Col. Lisa Mabbutt, and Col. Troy Pierce
There is a riser with the words "ALASKA 2025" in front, where Trump and Putin are expected to greet each other. A red carpet leads from the riser back toward Air Force One, with military planes flanking either side of the red carpet.
Stay tuned...
Why is Alaska such a significant venue?
19:45
,
Oliver O'Connell
Despite its geographical significance on the ocean border between the U.S. and Russia, there is even greater significance to holding today’s meeting in Alaska.
For the first time since its sale to the United States in 1867, a Russian leader has visited the territory, which was once a vast outpost of the Russian Empire.
Russia colonised Alaska from the 18th century until Czar Alexander II sold it to the U.S. for $7.2 million. This transaction, which occurred in 1867, later became a source of deep remorse for Russians, who viewed it as naïve in light of the region's subsequent discovery of vast natural resources.
Following the collapse of the USSR, Alaska became a subject of both nostalgia and jokes in Russia, famously encapsulated in a 1990s song: “Don’t play the fool, America … give back our dear Alaska land.”
Putin team trolls its way to Ukraine summit with Trump as it serves ‘Chicken Kyiv’ for in-flight meal
19:36
,
Oliver O'Connell
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s team trolled Ukraine on the eve of the summit with President Donald Trump by serving chicken Kiev to journalists on the flight to Alaska.
U.S. and Russian delegations began arriving in Anchorage Friday, as Trump posted a blunt two-word warning on Truth Social: “HIGH STAKES!!!”
On the state-chartered flight to the talks, Russian media were served “chicken Kyiv cutlets” according to the editor-in-chief of Russia Today, Margarita Simonyan.
Rhian Lubin has the story.
Trump now bringing backup to Putin meeting
19:29
,
Oliver O'Connell
Andrew Feinberg in Anchorage, Alaska, reports:
Donald Trump is now bringing backup to his meeting with Russian president Vladimir Putin.
According to the White House, what was initially set to be a face-to-face sit-down including Trump, Putin, and no other aides except translators will now be a "three-on-three" meeting including the president, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Steve Witkoff, the ex-real estate developer and longtime friend of the president who has been serving as a roving special envoy for various peace talks around the world.
Following that session, the leaders will meet for an expanded bilateral meeting and lunch. Trump's side will include Rubio and Witkoff, plus Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and White House chief of staff Susie Wiles.
Watch LIVE: Trump lands in Alaska for historic summit with Putin
19:26
,
Oliver O'Connell
Democrat senator worries Trump’s ‘photo-op’ meeting with Putin ‘legitimizes war crimes’
19:24
,
Oliver O'Connell
Democratic Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut joined MSNBC’s Morning Joe ahead of President Donald Trump's meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin to share his thoughts on the summit.
Here’s, in part, what he said:
Well, the first thing that's happening here is the welcoming of Putin back into the order of major mainstream nations. He is visiting the United States for the first time since he became a war criminal. He is standing with the most powerful person in the world.
And it is a sign from Donald Trump, essentially, that all is forgiven. And so this is a big moment for Putin because he essentially is being legitimized in the eyes of the United States and in the eyes of the world. We know there's not going to be any major peace deal here, largely because one of the parties to the war isn't at the table. You can't sign a peace agreement if Zelenskyy isn't there. And so there is not going to be any breakthrough.
And my worry is that, well, the photo-op in and of itself essentially legitimizes war crimes, telegraphs to other autocrats or evil men around the world that they can get away with murdering civilians and still get a photo-op with the president of the United States.
It could get worse, because if there is no agreement, if Putin thumbs his nose at Trump and then Trump does not follow through with more weapons for Ukraine or with any sanctions, then it's essentially the final green light to Putin that he is going to be able to persecute this war without the intervention of the United States.
Chris Murphy on Putin: "He's standing with the most powerful person in the world. It's a sign from Donald Trump, essentially, that all is forgiven. And so this is a big moment for Putin because he is being legitimized in the eyes of the US and in the eyes of the world." pic.twitter.com/lelyeEpYNz
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 15, 2025
How have Trump and Putin's previous meetings gone?
19:20
,
Oliver O'Connell
Stage set for historic summit
19:10
,
Oliver O'Connell
The stage is ready at Alaska’s Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson for a planned joint news conference between two leaders. A blue backdrop, emblazoned with "Pursuing Peace" in large letters, sets the scene. An American flag and a Russian flag stand prominently on the stage, flanking two podiums.
And here’s the stage set for the arrival of the two presidents:
WATCH: Putin stops of at fish factory on way to Alaska for crunch Trump meeting
19:00
,
Gustaf Kilander
Bear sighting ahead of US-Russia Summit
18:55
,
Oliver O'Connell
Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund and a special adviser to President Vladimir Putin, spotted a bear earlier today ahead of the historic summit between Russia and the U.S.
The animal scampered off (worryingly toward a person who appeared to possibly be fishing), but Dmitriev says he hopes it’s a good sign for today’s talks.
Met a bear in Alaska before the US-Russia Summit. Hopefully a good sign. ☺️ pic.twitter.com/s6QXmQr5UG
— Kirill A. Dmitriev (@kadmitriev) August 15, 2025
Watch: Russian journalists are not happy with their accommodation
18:50
,
Oliver O'Connell
RT’s Egor Piskunov gives viewers a tour of the facilities for Russian journalists covering today’s historic meeting.
They appear to be somewhat lacking.
After being assigned for the night to what appeared to be a disaster evacuation zone, Russian journalists were treated to breakfast of tuna mayo left out overnight, some chips, and an unlimited supply of water (from a drinking fountain).
— Margarita Simonyan (@M_Simonyan) August 15, 2025
The sacrifices of last-minute diplomacy. pic.twitter.com/jlKwLqXVZo
Trump says Ukraine must decide on territorial swaps
18:45
,
Gustaf Kilander
Trump said he wouldn’t negotiate on behalf of Ukraine during the talks with Putin and that he would let the country decide if it wants to take part in territorial swaps with Russia.
"They'll be discussed, but I've got to let Ukraine make that decision, and I think they'll make a proper decision. But I'm not here to negotiate for Ukraine, I'm here to get them at a table," said Trump on Air Force One, according to Reuters.
Trump added that he believes that the talks will be fruitful, pointing to the stakes and the weakening Russian economy.
"He's a smart guy, been doing it for a long time, but so have I ... we get along, there's a good respect level on both sides, and I think, you know, something's going to come of it," said the president.
UK foreign secretary reiterates 'enduring support' for Ukraine and for peace
18:36
,
Oliver O'Connell
Foreign Secretary David Lammy has affirmed the UK’s unwavering support for Ukraine, ahead of today’s meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Alaska.
The foreign secretary took to X to declare: “The UK stands with Ukraine on what will be an important day for the future of Ukraine and Euro-Atlantic security.”
He added that in a conversation with Ukraine’s foreign affairs minister, Andrii Sybiha, he “reiterated our enduring support and our commitment to work with the U.S. and Ukraine to secure a just and lasting peace.”
Sybiha, in turn, commended the UK for its “principled stance on supporting” his nation. Following his discussions with Lammy, he described their exchange as “a meaningful conversation” focused on “securing a just and lasting peace for Ukraine.”
Writing on X, Sybiha stated: “I value the UK’s leadership in the Coalition of the Willing and its principled stance on supporting Ukraine.”
He further noted: “We focused on joint diplomatic efforts to bring closer a real peace for Ukraine and all of Europe. We also discussed ways to further enhance assistance to Ukraine, including long-term financial aid. We stand united in defending our shared security and democratic values.”
On the ground in Anchorage
18:36
,
Andrew Feinberg
With just hours to go until Air Force One lands in Alaska, the weather is a cool (compared to Washington in August) 50 degrees Fahrenheit with some sun breaking through a mostly overcast sky.
The president's iconic Boeing 747 and Russian President Vladimir Putin's bespoke Ilyushin Il-96-300PU aircraft will arrive at the summit site, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, located roughly 11 miles from Anchorage.
According to the Russian side, Trump will greet Putin upon his arrival, which is tentatively set for around 11:30 am local time — 3:30 pm on the East Coast and 8:30 pm in the UK.
There's a four-hour time difference between Anchorage and Washington.
JBER, as it is known, has a population of around 32,000 people who make up about a tenth of Alaska's total population. It houses the Air Force's 3rd Wing and is a key facility from which operations in Asia, the Arctic and the west coast of the U.S. are staged.
The massive facility, which was formed by combining Fort Richardson with Elmendorf Air Force Base in 2010, played a major role in monitoring Soviet activity during the Cold War. It's a large facility that meets the security needs of a summit between Trump and Putin, but in recent years, it hasn't been a frequent destination for presidents, save for occasional Air Force One refueling stops.
Putin is the second world leader to visit the base. The first visit by a head of state came in 1971, when the Air Force portion of the facility hosted Japanese Emperor Hirohito, when he became the first Japanese monarch to visit a foreign nation.
Inside the remote Alaska base where Trump and Putin will negotiate over peace in Ukraine
18:30
,
Alex Croft
Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin will sit face-to-face for the first time in seven years on Friday for talks aimed at ending the war in Ukraine.
The Russian president will fly into Anchorage, the largest city in Alaska, where he will meet his US counterpart at a remote military installation which plays host to some of America’s most fearsome fighter jets. It has been visited by several US presidents in the past.
Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska’s largest military base, combines the Air Force’s Elmendorf base with the US Army’s Fort Richardson.
Read more:
Trump says he 'would walk' if Putin meeting doesn't work out
18:23
,
Oliver O'Connell
President Donald Trump has expressed a mix of confidence and urgency regarding an upcoming meeting with the Russian president, stating it would “work out very well” but warning he would “head back home real fast” if it did not. Speaking to Fox News Channel’s Bret Baier aboard Air Force One, in a snippet posted on X, he further clarified, “I would walk, yeah,” when asked a follow-up question.
"I think it’s going to work out very well and if it doesn’t, I’m going to head back home real fast."
— Fox News (@FoxNews) August 15, 2025
EXCLUSIVE: President Trump sits down with Bret Baier as he travels to Alaska for a high-stakes summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Catch more of the interview tonight… pic.twitter.com/ES0oSkFb9V
On Friday afternoon, the president posted a video clip on social media from a separate gathering also aboard the plane, where he was questioned on the criteria for a successful summit. “I want to see a ceasefire rapidly. I don’t know if it’s going to be today, but I’m not going to be happy if it’s not today,” he told reporters, standing in an aisle. He concluded his remarks by stating, “I’m in this to stop the killing.”
Donald J. Trump Truth Social 08.15.25 12:32 PM EST
— Fan Donald J. Trump Posts From Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) August 15, 2025
On my way to Alaska! pic.twitter.com/id6JFyya7o
Former Ukrainian foreign minister says end to war is not 'attainable'
18:15
,
Gustaf Kilander
Former Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said ending the war in Ukraine wasn’t “attainable” during an appearance on MSNBC.
"Is ceasefire an attainable goal? Yes, it is. Is the end to the war in Ukraine attainable at this point? No, it is not," he said on Morning Joe.
"Even if there is a pause in the form of a ceasefire, there is a wide understanding that it will only be a pause," he argued.
"The conversation itself is a good sign, and it needs to be continued because Ukrainians, they keep fighting and they will keep fighting," Kuleba added.
"But it is also true to say that Ukrainians are exhausted and we all need a chance for peace to secure," he said.
Ukraine strikes ship ‘carrying ammunition from Iran’ at Russian port on day of Trump-Putin summit
18:00
,
Tara Cobham
Ukraine has struck a large Russian oil refinery and key port, hitting a ship that had been transporting drone parts and ammunition from Iran, its military has confirmed.
Kyiv said on Friday that Ukraine struck the Syzran oil refinery in Russia's Samara region in an overnight attack and also hit the Caspian Sea port of Olya in the Astrakhan region the previous day, including the cargo vessel travelling to Russia.
Read more:
Trump-Putin talks could last between six and seven hours
17:45
,
Gustaf Kilander
A Kremlin spokesperson has said that the meeting between Trump and Putin in Alaska could go on for as long as six or seven hours, according to Russian state media.
“The Russian side expects that the meeting between Putin and Trump in Alaska will end productively,” RIA Novosti, a state media outlet, reported, pointing to comments by Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov.
He added that Trump and Putin’s one-on-one meeting “will be held with the participation of aides.”
University of Alaska dorms to host up to 750 Russian delegates in town for Trump-Putin summit
17:30
,
Madeline Sherratt
The University of Alaska Anchorage is expecting hundreds of Russian delegates who are in the city for the summit between President Trump and President Vladimir Putin to stay in student dorms.
“There may be up to 750 people staying on campus between the U.S. and Russian delegations,” vice chancellor Ryan Buchholdt said in an email to the Alaskan newspaper, Anchorage Daily News.
The school can house around 12,000 people. This week marks the start of the school calendar for those returning from the summer break.
Read more:
Trump to discuss Russian strikes on Ukraine with Putin
17:15
,
Gustaf Kilander
Trump has told ABC News that he’s set to discuss Russia’s recent strikes on Ukraine with Putin during Friday’s summit.
"I think they're trying to negotiate,” he told the network aboard Air Force One. “He's trying to set a stage. I mean, in his mind, that helps him make a better deal. It actually hurts him. But in his mind, that helps him make a better deal if they could continue the killing. Maybe it's a part of the world, maybe it's just his fabric, his genes, his genetics, but he thinks that makes him, gives him strength in negotiating. I think it hurts him, but I'll be talking to him about it later.”
How Russia is preparing for conflict in Nato’s new Arctic battleground
17:00
,
Sam Kiley
At its nearest point, Alaska is just 2.4 miles from Russia. In the remote Bering Sea, Little Diomede Island (belonging to the US) sits next to Big Diomede Island (part of Russia).
In between them lies the international date line, which means the American island, also known as Yesterday Island, is 21 hours behind its Russian neighbour, unsurprisingly dubbed Tomorrow.
This quirk of geography and history appeals to Vladimir Putin, putting him ahead not only in a chronological sense (literally), but also in a political one – because that’s where he’s winning the race for control of a vast region that is opening up thanks to climate change.
For as the Arctic continues to thaw, it is Russia that is taking advantage.
Read more:
Zelensky says 'meeting should open up a real path toward a just peace'
16:51
,
Gustaf Kilander
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who has not been invited to Friday’s summit in Alaska, has said that Ukraine is counting on the U.S.
"Today, I also expect a report from our intelligence on the current intentions of the Russian side and its preparations for the meeting in Alaska. Indeed, high stakes," said Zelensky, referencing a Truth Social post by Trump. "The key thing is that this meeting should open up a real path toward a just peace and a substantive discussion between leaders in a trilateral format — Ukraine, the United States, and the Russian side.”
“It is time to end the war, and the necessary steps must be taken by Russia. We are counting on America. We are ready, as always, to work as productively as possible,” he added.
Hillary Clinton says she’d nominate Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize if he helps broker a deal to end Ukraine war
16:40
,
Ariana Baio
Hillary Clinton said she would nominate President Donald Trump for his long-awaited Nobel Peace Prize if he could broker a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine that did not “capitulate” to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Clinton, the former secretary of state who once ran a campaign against Trump, issued her bold declaration on the Raging Moderates podcast to incentivize the president not to give in to the Russian president’s demands.
Read more:
A rundown of Trump's meetings with Putin during his first term
16:20
,
Gustaf Kilander
Here’s a rundown of Trump’s and Putin’s meetings during Trump’s first stint as U.S. president.
July 2017, G-20 summit
Trump and Putin first met at the G-20 summit in Hamburg just months into Trump’s first term. The meeting took place following allegations that Russia interfered in the 2016 U.S. election to undermine Trump’s Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton.
Then-Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also attended the meeting. Lavrov is also present in Alaska for Friday’s talks.
Tillerson subsequently said that Trump asked Putin twice if the claims that Russia interfered in the election were true, with Putin rejecting the allegations both times.
The meeting was set to last for 35 minutes, but went on for more than two hours, as they discussed the Syrian war, North Korea, cybersecurity, and other issues.
Trump and Putin also spoke during a dinner for G-20 leaders, a meeting that wasn’t disclosed at the time.
November 2017, APEC summit
Trump and Putin met briefly during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Danang, Vietnam, after the White House announced that they wouldn’t have a formal sit-down meeting, pointing to scheduling issues.
They smiled, shook hands, and posed for the group photo during the summit.
July 2018, Helsinki summit
During a joint press conference at a summit between the two leaders in Helsinki, Finland, Trump seemed to side with the Russian leader over his own intelligence community as he appeared to accept Putin’s denials that Russia interfered in the 2016 election.
At the summit, Putin and Trump spoke alone for two hours with only their interpreters present. Trump was seen winking at Putin at least twice during the summit.
Trump would later claim that he misspoke during the summit and that he accepted the view of the intelligence community that Russia interfered in the election. But he added that it “could be other people also” — a view not supported by evidence.
November 2018, G-20 summit
At the G-20 summit in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Trump and Putin spoke briefly. Still, the U.S. president mostly kept his distance from the Russian leader amid the Department of Justice’s probe into Russia’s interference in the election.
June 2019, G-20 summit
At the G-20 summit in Osaka, Japan, some months after the release of the Mueller report into Russian election interference, the two leaders appeared to have a friendly rapport.
Putin said the two had not had a formal meeting since the Helsinki summit and that their meeting in Japan would be a “great opportunity to follow up on that.”
Asked by reporters about the investigation, Trump told Putin with a smile, “Don’t meddle in the election.”