Russian President Vladimir Putin has praised U.S. President Donald Trump’s “energetic and sincere efforts” to end the war in Ukraine, as the two leaders prepare for a high-stakes summit in Alaska on Friday. The meeting — their first one-on-one since 2019 — has drawn criticism from Kyiv and its European allies for excluding Ukrainian participation in the initial talks.
Speaking to senior officials in Moscow, Putin said the Trump administration was working to achieve a resolution that could “represent the interest of all sides” and potentially create “long-term conditions for peace between our countries, in Europe, and in the world.” He added that discussions could also pave the way for future agreements on strategic arms control.
The summit comes amid concerns in Kyiv and European capitals that Washington may agree to concessions granting Russia control over parts of Ukrainian territory in exchange for an end to hostilities. Trump, in a Fox News radio interview, said he was unsure the talks would result in an “immediate ceasefire” — a stated goal of the Alaska meeting — but expressed belief that Putin was willing to make a deal.
Trump said the purpose of Friday’s session at Elmendorf-Richardson military base in Anchorage was to “set the table” for a “more important meeting” that would include Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and possibly European leaders. “Maybe we’ll bring the European leaders along,” he told reporters.
According to Yuri Ushakov, Putin’s top foreign policy aide, the two presidents will hold a private meeting before expanding the talks to delegations of five officials on each side. The Russian delegation will include Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Defence Minister Andrei Belousov, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov, and sovereign wealth fund chief Kirill Dmitriev. Discussions will focus primarily on Ukraine but will also address global security and potential U.S.-Russia economic cooperation.
Trump had previously threatened increased sanctions and expanded military support for Ukraine if Putin did not agree to a ceasefire by last week. However, the focus shifted toward the summit after Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff met with Putin in Moscow, with both sides describing progress but offering few specifics.
Despite the praise from Moscow, Putin has shown no signs of dropping his conditions for ending the war, which include rolling back NATO’s eastward expansion and significantly limiting Ukraine’s independence. Arms control cooperation between Washington and Moscow has also been strained since Russia suspended participation in the New START treaty in 2023.
Under Trump’s predecessor, Joe Biden, the U.S. spearheaded sanctions intended to pressure Russia to halt its invasion. Trump has maintained those sanctions but has not imposed new ones, suggesting they could be used as leverage in negotiations. U.S. officials have indicated that the possibility of easing sanctions could motivate Moscow to reach an agreement.
Meanwhile, Ukraine has been rallying European support. On Thursday, Zelenskyy met UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer in London, with European nations aiming to present a united stance ahead of the Alaska talks. European leaders have also discussed a postwar “reassurance force” in Ukraine, backed by U.S. security guarantees but operating outside the NATO framework — an idea Trump signaled willingness to support.
The Alaska summit is expected to conclude with a joint press conference, though both sides have left the duration of the talks open-ended depending on progress.
