Presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump will meet on Friday, August 15, in Alaska. The summit is scheduled to begin at 22:30 Moscow time. According to presidential aide Yury Ushakov, the program for the meeting at the Elmendorf-Richardson military base in the United States has been finalized, and preparations have entered their final stage.
Ukraine Will Be the Central Focus of the Alaska Talks
The primary topic will be the conflict in Ukraine, with both leaders set to explore possible pathways to a resolution. In preparation for the summit, Putin held a meeting with senior government officials and members of his administration. The Russian president emphasized that his American counterpart was making energetic efforts to end the conflict.
“The American administration is taking sufficiently energetic and sincere steps to stop hostilities and the crisis, aiming for agreements that serve the interests of all parties involved in the conflict,” — Vladimir Putin, President of Russia.
Former U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton noted that Trump had been waiting for months for the opportunity to meet with Putin to address the Ukraine issue.
Additional Topics on the Agenda
According to Ushakov, the two leaders will also discuss other matters. Putin has not ruled out reaching a new agreement on strategic offensive arms, stressing that such a deal would help ensure long-term peace between Russia, the United States, Europe, and the wider world.
- The delegation talks will be held in a “five-on-five” format; the Russian delegation includes Lavrov, Ushakov, Belousov, Siluanov, and Dmitriev.
- The central topic of the negotiations will be resolving the conflict with Ukraine, though other issues will also be addressed; Putin and Trump will discuss pressing and highly sensitive international and regional matters.
- Following the talks, Putin and Trump will hold a joint press conference.
First Deputy Chair of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs Svetlana Zhurova suggested that Russia and the U.S. might conclude an economic deal unrelated to Ukraine.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if the Ukrainian issue is discussed the least,” — Svetlana Zhurova, State Duma deputy.
Potential Economic and Strategic Proposals
According to The Daily Telegraph, Trump is expected to propose joint development of rare earth minerals in Alaska. He may also offer to lift restrictions on supplying spare parts and equipment needed for servicing civilian aircraft in Russia.
The Washington Post reported that Trump will present a “land for peace” proposal. If Putin rejects a ceasefire agreement for Ukraine, the U.S. president is reportedly prepared to impose new sanctions on Russia, considering a refusal to be a personal humiliation.
