Following a pre-arranged agreement, Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump convened in Alaska Friday to discuss the situation in Ukraine.
Both leaders disembarked from their respective aircraft almost simultaneously upon arrival at a military airfield near Anchorage, meeting directly on the tarmac. In a surprising move, President Putin then entered “The Beast” the heavily armored limousine of the U.S. President and travelled alongside President Trump to the designated meeting location, appearing visibly cheerful during the journey.
What was initially anticipated as a one-on-one discussion with interpreters has expanded to include multiple participants. On the U.S. side, at least Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff joined the conversation. The Russian delegation included, among others, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
A press conference is scheduled for 1:30 AM German time. However, the Kremlin previously indicated that the talks could last up to seven hours, potentially concluding in the early hours of Saturday morning German time.