Everything we know about Trump and Putin's Alaska summit today
For more than three years, Russia and Ukraine have been stuck in a grinding, bloody battle for Ukrainian territory.
It's a war that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky once said he wanted to end by 2023. One that Trump said he would end within '24 hours' of being re-elected last year.
Trump and Putin are meeting for the first time in six years tonight in Alaska for a one-on-one meeting that left Zelensky off the guest list.
Their goal, according to the White House secretary, is for the US president to 'walk away with a better understanding of how we can end this war'.
The high-risk, high-reward meeting will be closely watched by world leaders, analysts and countless civilians living in two countries upended by war – here's everything you need to know.
The leaders will meet at 11.30am local time (8.30pm BST) behind closed doors – the only others in the room will be interpreters.
Both presidents will then hold a wider meeting with their delegations – five on each side – before Trump phones Zelensky and other European leaders.
A joint press conference will then be held.
Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, a US military site surrounded by lakes and glaciers in the state's largest city, in Anchorage.
The remote installation is home to American fighter jets that historically intercepted Russian aircraft. More than 32,000 people reside at the base today, making up about 10% of Anchorage's population.
White House officials have said that the installation meets safety requirements for welcoming Trump and Putin.
Summit planners found Anchorage to be the most suited, after also considering the state capital of Juneau and the city of Fairbanks, according to CNN.
They reportedly decided that Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson was the only site in Anchorage that fulfils security requirements.
Trump's stance on the war has swung wildly in recent months. One moment, the president is humiliating Zelensky in the Oval Office. The next, he's calling out Putin's 'bulls**t' and saying he's 'disgusted' with him.
Yet, Trump stunned the international community by inviting Putin to US soil despite sanctions and an international arrest warrant for war crimes.
Nevertheless, Trump has set the bar incredibly low for tonight, describing it as a 'feel-out meeting' to see what the Kremlin is prepared to offer.
He's hinted that 'land swaps' – territorial concessions – are on the cards. Reports say that the White House may offer lucrative mineral contracts and lift sanctions if Russia agrees to a ceasefire.
Pablo O'Hana, a senior political advisor, however, is more optimistic. He recently wrote for the Metro that the talks could 'save Ukraine'.
Putin has, in comparison to Trump's rambling speeches, been tight-lipped.
'The current American administration… is making, in my opinion, quite energetic and sincere efforts to stop the hostilities, stop the crisis and reach agreements that are of interest to all parties involved in this conflict,' he said yesterday.
Putin added that the summit 'creates long-term conditions for peace between our countries, as well as in Europe, and in the world as a whole'.
Russian officials and commentators have compared the meeting to a game of chess and expect Trump will 'return the favour' and fly to Russia.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told the Russia-24 TV channel that Moscow is not 'planning anything'.
'We know that we have arguments, a clear and understandable position. We will present them,' he said.
Zelensky, the leader of the country being invaded, won't be making an appearance tonight.
Why Ukraine has been sidelined is simple, according to the White House – Putin extended the invitation to have a 'bilateral' meeting.
Zelensky has not been pleased about this. He's said the talks 'will not achieve anything' without Kyiv having a seat at the table.
'We understand Russia's intention to try to deceive America – we will not allow this,' he said over the weekend.
Ukraine's European allies, fearing that Trump will cut a deal with Putin, have spent the last week urging Trump to invite Zelensky. They had a phone call with Trump on Wednesday, in which they hashed out five principles for the negotiations, including the idea of a ceasefire.
The Republican leader's approval ratings have been plummeting for months. More Trending
Six in 10 US adults disapprove of his performance, according to the Pew Research Center.
Viewing the president as uncaring about 'ordinary people's' issues and not particularly 'sharp', the majority of Americans doubt Trump can make 'wise decisions' about the war.
His popularity among Republicans has even taken a hit, with 13% now disapproving, up from 9% in May.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.
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The Herald Scotland
9 minutes ago
- The Herald Scotland
U-turn as Trump administration agrees to keep Washington police chief in place
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Daily Mirror
9 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
MIKEY SMITH: 11 unhinged Donald Trump moments as he gets absolutely played by Putin at Ukraine summit
The stage was set, there were logos on the backdrop, serving US military officers got on their knees to roll a red carpet all the way to the war criminal's plane. But while Putin got everything he wanted - Trump not so much Donald Trump met with Vladimir Putin in Alaska last night, and the Russian dictator appears to have played him like an extremely cheap fiddle. The stage was set, there were logos on the backdrop, serving US military officers got on their knees to roll a red carpet all the way to the war criminal's plane - though not quite to the President's But at the end of it all, there was no ceasefire. Putin got everything he wanted: Legitimacy, airtime, a chance to shower Trump with flattery while smirking at him, and a chance to discuss things other than Ukraine with a western world leader as if he wasn't an international pariah. And Trump, as far as we can tell, got nothing. The thing about Donald Trump is that for all the bluster, he's much better at setting up a meeting than he is at getting something out of it. He's not so much a master dealmaker as an average hotelier. Heres everything that happened at the Alaska summit that you need to know about. Buckle up. 1. Vlad's red carpet was longer than Trump's In an ominous signal of what was to come, Putin got a lit more red carpet than Trump did. The pair were supposed to walk to the podium from their respective aircraft down an L-shaped red carpet. But either through a lack of length, or the inept parking of Air Force One, Trump had to walk for quite some time on the air base tarmac before his feet found felt. All the while Putin's limpy feet enjoyed the plush fibres. 2. The applause, the shrugs, the smirks Trump weirdly applauded the ruthless Russian dictator who has ordered the deaths of countless people, undoubtedly committed war crimes, not to mention using banned nerve agents for assassinations on British soil. Upon reaching the podium, a waiting pool reporter shouted the not unreasonable question: "Are you going to stop killing civilians?" Putin pointed to his ear and shrugged, either indicating he couldn't hear properly, or didn't understand the language. Putin speaks English. He was asked the same question again at the top of the meeting, but again made a funny facial expression and said nothing. 3. They drove off There was a big fuss in Trump's first term about him having a short meeting with Putin where only the two leaders and Putin's interpreter - and nobody else on the American side - were there. It was quite a relief when the details of the meeting were switched up to a three-on-three, with envoy Steve Witkoff and Secretary of State Marco Rubio sitting in on Trump's end. But then Trump ushered Putin into his car, where they were alone for several minutes on the drive to the meeting - so Putin had a chance to get in Trump's ear alone after all. 4. The meeting setup was weird Normally if you're negotiating a peace treaty, everyone sits around a big table, with documents and officials and a big bit of wood to thump if things get heated. The setup in last night's meeting was much more formal. Like the bilateral meetings that happen at a G7 summit or foreign visit. Two leaders either side of a low table with their entourages flanking on each side. Almost like it was set up for a photo op rather than an actual negotiation. 5. The "press conference" at the end was even weirder After an about 3 hours of meetings, Trump and Putin walked out onto a nearby stage for a weird and stilted press conference. Sort of. Putin spoke first, which in itself is odd for a visiting world leader. And oddly for Trump, they walked off at the end without taking amy questions. 6. Putin laid it on Trump pretty thick - and thanked him for making him look less like a murderer Putin thanked Trump for the "friendly" tone of the conversation they had on Friday and said Russia and the United States should "turn the page and go back to cooperation." He praised Trump as someone who "has a clear idea of what he wants to achieve and sincerely cares about the prosperity of his country, and at the same time shows understanding that Russia's has its own national interests." "I expect that today's agreements will become a reference point not only for solving the Ukrainian problem, but will also mark the beginning of the restoration of businesslike, pragmatic relations between Russia and the U.S.," Putin said. Trump said there are "just a very few" issues to resolve concerning the war in Ukraine, without providing any sense of what those issues might be. "Some are not that significant," Trump said. "One is probably the most significant, but we have a very good chance of getting there. We didn't get there, but we have a very good chance of getting there." The president said he's "always had a fantastic relationship" with **Putin**. He referenced the U.S. government investigations into Russia's support for his 2016 presidential campaign and repeated his claims of the U.S. economy being the "hottest" in the world. 7. Putin made it clear he still thinks Ukraine is part of Russia **Putin** repeated Moscow's long-held position that it is "sincerely interested in putting an end" to the war in Ukraine, but for that to happen, "all the root causes of the crisis ... must be eliminated." What he means by that, as he explained in a rambling essay shortly after the invasion three years ago, is that Ukraine isn't a real country, and it breaking away from mother Russia is the root cause of the war. "All of Russia's legitimate concerns must be taken into account, and a fair balance in the security sphere in Europe and the world as a whole must be restored," Putin said. 8. 'Next time in Moscow' At the end of the "press conference", Trump said to Putin: "Thank you Vladimir, I will probably see you again very soon." Putin ominously replied (in English): "Next time in Moscow..." Trump made a weird "oooooh" sound, then admitted he might "get a little heat for that one." 9. Trump thinks everything went very well indeed, thankyou In an interview with (who else?) Fox News' Sean Hannity after the summit, Trump said he was "very happy to hear [Putin] say that if I was president that war would have never happened." It's been one of Trump's least plausible talking points since taking office. Hannity, to his credit, asked if Putin had given any specifics as to why that was the case. Trump replied: "It did. It doesn't matter at this point.' The President also claimed Putin had said: "I've never seen anybody do so much so country is, like, hot as a pistol," curiously echoing another of Trump's talking points. "A lot of points were agreed on," Trump said of progress towards a deal. "There's not that much. There's one or two pretty significant items. But I think they can be reached." In the end, Trump sort of shrugged and said: "Now it's really up to President Zelenskyy to get it done." We haven't seen what, if anything, was agreed with Putin yet, but we can probably take from this that if he objects to anything, it'll be another Oval Office showdown... Get Donald Trump updates straight to your WhatsApp! As the world attempts to keep up with Trump's antics, the Mirror has launched its very own US Politics WhatsApp community where you'll get all the latest news from across the pond. We'll send you the latest breaking updates and exclusives all directly to your phone. Users must download or already have WhatsApp on their phones to join in. All you have to do to join is click on this link, select 'Join Chat' and you're in! We may also send you stories from other titles across the Reach group. We will also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose Exit group. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. 10. Putin told Trump he agreed with him on mail-in voting Vladimir Putin, someone you would always go to for an expert opinion on free and fair elections, says Trump was right about 2020 being rigged. Trump said to Hannity: "Vladimir Putin said something - one of the most interesting things. He said 'your election was rigged because you have mail in voting.' "He said, 'mail in voting, every election - no country has mail in voting. It's impossible to have mail in voting and have honest elections.' "And he said that to me because we talked about 2020. He said, 'you won that election by so much.'" 11. After lengthy calls with world leaders, Zelensky will meet Trump on Monday There were reportedly lengthy calls between Trump and world leaders on Air Force One on his way back to Washington DC. He spoke with Keir Starmer, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Polish President Karol Nawrocki, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte. Mr Starmer is due to speak again with European leaders this morning. Mr Zelensky said the call began as a one-on-one between him and the US president, before European Nato leaders joined them. The Ukrainian leader also suggested he would travel to Washington DC at the start of next week to continue talks. Writing on social media, the Ukrainian president said: "We support President Trump's proposal for a trilateral meeting between Ukraine, the USA, and Russia. Ukraine emphasises that key issues can be discussed at the level of leaders, and a trilateral format is suitable for this. "On Monday, I will meet with President Trump in Washington DC, to discuss all of the details regarding ending the killing and the war. I am grateful for the invitation." European allies must be "involved at every stage to ensure reliable security guarantees together with America", he added.
Daily Mail
9 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Moment Putin's legs 'twitch suspiciously' in Trump farewell as Russian dictator dons platforms to overcome 'Napoleon complex' - amid rumours he wore EXOSKELETON
This is the moment the leg of Russian president Vladimir Putin was seen 'twitching suspiciously' as he bid farewell to Donald Trump. Kremlin footage captured the Russian leader's knee jolting repeatedly as he stood alongside his US counterpart at the end of their brief exchange following a joint press conference at the summit in Alaska. The pair, flanked by security teams and aides, spoke for a short time, with a translator stepping in to assist their conversation. Video clips shared online showed the Russian leader repeatedly dipping one knee as he stood beside the 6ft 3in former president at Elmendorf-Richardson air base in Anchorage - before departing without agreeing to a ceasefire in Ukraine. But the unusual movements was seized by eagle-eyed Ukrainians, who ridiculed the 72-year-old's fidgeting and speculated about the state of his health. They even claimed he wore a 'light exoskeleton' as well as thick-platform shoes to overcome his 'Napoleon complex' and minimise his height difference with the US president. An exoskeleton is wearable robotic device designed to assist or augment the posture of the person wearing it. Observers also noted the striking difference in stature, with Trump's 6ft 3in frame towering over the 5ft 7in Russian leader despite Putin's visibly elevated footwear. 'Attention - Putin's legs. What is wrong with them?' asked Times of Ukraine channel. 'Putin seems to have achieved his goal, but he is twitching suspiciously. His legs are 'shaking.' Maybe his shoes are tight,' said Nevzorov channel. As well as pushing out his knees, Putin repeatedly raised his left toe and heel in turn. Another Ukrainian outlet commented on how Putin 'suddenly "grew" for the meeting with Trump'. 'A strange element resembling a light exoskeleton was noticed in the outfit of the Russian dictator,' claimed Crimean Wind. The 20 centimetre - or eight inch - difference in the leaders' heights was 'not very noticeable on the video. 'However, something resembling a light exoskeleton under the [trousers] – at least from the knees down – is noticeable. 'Apparently, suffering from a Napoleon complex, Putin decided not to limit himself to traditional shoes with hidden platforms adding up to 12 cm [almost 5 inches] in height for the "meeting of the century".' Later Putin was seen bending his knee to lay flowers at the graves of Soviet pilots and other military personnel at the Fort Richardson Memorial Cemetery. During the Lend-Lease programme during the Second World War, Soviet pilots trained in Alaska and ferried U.S.-built aircraft across the Bering Strait. Some died during training or flights. After laying flowers, Putin returned to his 'Flying Kremlin' Il-96-300PU presidential plane, where he is known as 'Passenger Number One'. American fifth-generation F-35 Lightning II fighters escorted the plane carrying Vladimir Putin after his departure from Elmendorf-Richardson Air Base following talks with Trump. Soon afterwards - after crossing the International Date Line - Putin landed in the far-flung Russian region Chukotka, where ex-Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich was once the governor, for meetings with local officials. Following the summit, Trump has been calling Volodymyr Zelensky and NATO and European allies to update them on the two-and-a-half hour meeting. Zelensky has now said he will travel to Washington on Monday.
