Secret dossier detailing Trump's meeting with Putin found
The documents, which were produced by the Office of the Chief of Protocol, revealed the precise locations and times of the meetings between US and Russian officials. The president's Chief of Protocol, former Fox News analyst Monica Crowley, was responsible for creating the detailed program for Putin's visit, including arranging the vital meeting between the two countries to discuss a potential ceasefire in Ukraine.
Details of the schedule contained in the papers included phone numbers of three US government employees and pronunciation guides for the names of Russian attendees — including 'Mr. President POO-tihn'. Trump also intended to offer Putin a ceremonial gift during Friday's summit, the documents showed, though it is unclear if he did. In the aftermath of the summit, Trump has urged Ukraine to make a deal with Russia to end the war and allegedly told Volodymyr Zelensky that Putin offered to freeze most front lines if Kyiv's forces ceded all of Donetsk. Zelensky reportedly rejected the demand.
Trump has also indicated that he agrees with Putin that a peace deal should be sought without the prior ceasefire that Ukraine and its European allies, until now with US support, have demanded. Trump met with Putin in Anchorage Friday to discuss a peace proposal, though few details were disclosed about the pair's meeting. But papers found at the Hotel Captain Cook around 9am Friday revealed exactly what rooms the Russian and US leaders convened in at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. Page one of the pack showed that Trump and Putin met near the 'American Bald Eagle Desk Statue' at the base, NPR reports.
Three pages in the document included names of US and Kremlin officials, including phonetic pronunciation for all the Russians expected to attend the summit. The sixth and seventh pages in the document stated that a luncheon would be held in 'honor of his excellency Vladimir Putin'. It featured the expected menu of green salad with a champagne vinaigrette dressing for the starter and a main of filet mignon or halibut, with potatoes and asparagus on the side. Guests would be served crème brûlée for dessert. The included seating chart placed Trump across from Putin, alongside senior US officials. Putin was meant to be seated with senior Russian officials, but it is understood that the luncheon was cancelled.
It is unclear who left behind the documents, but political analysts warn the mishap demonstrates 'sloppiness and the incompetence of the administration'. Although the documents and summit itinerary were marked as being produced by Crowley's team, there has been no official information tying her specifically to the leak. Crowley took center stage as she charmed Vladimir Putin at the Alaska summit on Friday, making the Russian leader beam as they shook hands shortly before he took off from Elmendorf Air Force Base. As Chief of Protocol, her role is to ensure diplomatic proceedings run smoothly.
Trump's three-hour meeting with Putin was the first US-Russia summit since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. 'It was determined by all that the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a Peace Agreement, which would end the war, and not a mere Ceasefire Agreement, which often times do not hold up,' Trump said of the summit. Before the meeting, Trump had said he would not be happy unless a ceasefire was agreed on. Afterwards, he suggested a follow-up meeting with Putin could happen if talks with Zelensky went well.
Russia's forces have been gradually advancing for months, with the war — the deadliest in Europe for 80 years — killing or wounding well over a million people from both sides, including thousands of Ukrainian civilians. Both Russia and Ukraine carried out overnight air attacks, and Ukraine's military reported 139 front-line clashes in 24 hours. Trump told Fox he would hold off on imposing tariffs on China for buying Russian oil after making progress with Putin. He ended his remarks to Putin by saying, 'I'd like to thank you very much, and we'll speak to you very soon and probably see you again very soon.' Putin replied, 'Next time in Moscow.' Trump said he might 'get a little heat on that one' but could 'possibly see it happening.'
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