Why Alaska is a winner as Trump-Putin summit venue
It had been expected that the two leaders would travel to neutral territory for the talks, with Putin himself having suggested the United Arab Emirates.
But while the choice to host the meeting on US territory may have come as a surprise, the decision to use Alaska appears to be a win for both leaders.
On the surface it might appear a show of strength for Mr Trump: Putin is the one travelling to him. But there are also notable perks for the Russian president.
Holding the meeting in the US means Putin can avoid flying over hostile countries at a time when he has been the subject of an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant for two years.
It also sets up a possibility of Mr Trump reciprocating by visiting Russia, an invitation having already been extended to him by Putin.
And the venue choice has gone down well with political leaders in Alaska too.
Mike Dunleavy, the Republican governor, said he welcomes Alaska hosting the meeting, describing the north-western state as a 'bridge between nations'.
Alaska, he said, 'is the most strategic location in the world' given its close proximity to Russia and it 'stands ready to host this historic meeting'.
'Russia and US are close neighbours'
Dan Sullivan, one of the state's two Republican senators, echoed this sentiment, while Yuri Ushakov, a high-ranking aide to Putin, described the state as the 'logical' meeting point.
'Russia and the US are close neighbours, sharing a common border,' Mr Ushakov said in a statement, according to the TASS agency.
He added: 'It seems quite logical for our delegation simply to fly across the Bering Strait and for the important and anticipated summit of leaders of these two countries to take place precisely in Alaska.'
The only hint in the US of the grave concerns engulfing Europe and Ukraine about the upcoming talks, which the US president suggested will involve discussions of the 'swapping of territories' without Volodymyr Zelensky being given a seat at the table, was reflected by Lisa Murkowski, the state's senior senator.
The Republican is an ardent supporter of Ukraine, who previously said the idea of Mr Trump 'walking away' from Ukraine to embrace Putin made her 'sick to my stomach'.
Responding to news of the meeting, she wrote on X: 'While I remain deeply wary of Putin and his regime, I hope these discussions lead to genuine progress and help end the war on equitable terms.'
Friday's visit will be the first time Putin has visited the US in a decade, having attended the UN General Assembly in New York during Barack Obama's second term.
John Herbst, the former US ambassador to Ukraine, told The Telegraph he thinks Putin was 'happy' to give Mr Trump the win on location because the US president is treating his Russian counterpart 'gently'.
'The details suggest many upfront compromises by Ukraine merely to get a ceasefire, which, by its very nature, is almost never permanent, and no Russian concessions,' he said.
While it might appear that the suggestion of Alaska came from the Trump administration, some experts say the idea originated from Moscow.
Nina Khrushcheva, international affairs professor at the New School in New York, said her contacts in Moscow had suggested Kirill Dmitriev, Putin's envoy, had suggested it.
'It's such a show for Trump'
'Everybody thought it would be the third country, probably, Saudi Arabia, or something like that, so it was an absolute shock, but it's brilliant,' Ms Khrushcheva said.
'For Trump, it's brilliant. I mean, it's such a show, he's on his territory, so for Trump it is great.'
Ms Khrushcheva added that it is also an 'amazing thing' for Putin as he 'just crosses the pond and he's there', rather than having to fly over other countries.
By flying into the US, which does not recognise the jurisdiction of the ICC, the Russian leader does not risk being arrested.
Putin last year travelled to Mongolia, an ICC state, and faced no consequences, with the court accusing the country of having 'failed' to cooperate.
The symbolism of holding the talks in Alaska, can be interpreted in several ways. It is not only the closest US state to Moscow, but the Last Frontier State used to be Russian territory.
Tsar Alexander II sold Alaska to the US in 1867 for $7.2m, and Russian nationalists have long dreamed of reclaiming it.
Andrew Jackson, who was the US president at the time of the sale, has long been a hero of Mr Trump, who returned his portrait to the Oval Office within days of returning to office.
Ms Khrushcheva suggested Alaska serves as a 'symbol' of the beneficial trade relationship on which the Kremlin wishes to embark with Washington.
But the US's annexation of Russian territory could also offer Putin some ammunition if he wants to make a public dig at Mr Trump.
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