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Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Russian nationalists have long demanded the return of Alaska. Now Trump has invited ICC-indicted Putin to the state
President Donald Trump is set to meet with Vladimir Putin in Alaska next week, the state that Russia once laid claim to and nationalists want to take back. Trump announced Friday that a meeting has been set with the Russian leader on August 15 in the Last Frontier state to discuss the war in Ukraine, which the president claimed he would end 'on Day One.' Despite facing an International Criminal Court arrest warrant, the meeting would mark the first time in a decade that Putin has set foot on U.S. soil. 'The highly anticipated meeting between myself, as President of the United States of America, and President Vladimir Putin, of Russia, will take place next Friday, August 15, 2025, in the Great State of Alaska,' Trump declared on Truth Social. Critics pointed out that Russia once laid claim to the state of Alaska at the beginning of the 1770s—where they mercilessly exploited Alaskan natives to hunt fur for the Russians—and nationalists have long wanted to take it back. Alaska was purchased from the Russians by the U.S. for a sum of $7.2 million in 1867—the equivalent of between $129 million and $153.5 million today. 'Trump has chosen to host Putin in a part of the former Russian Empire. Wonder if he knows that Russian nationalists claim that losing Alaska, like Ukraine, was a raw deal for Moscow that needs to be corrected,' said Michael McFaul, a professor of political science at Stanford University and former. U.S. ambassador to Russia. 'Let's all hope that Putin doesn't ask to take Alaska home with him as a souvenir, or Trump might give that away too,' political commentator David Frum said in a post on X. 'Trump inviting war criminal Putin to America is nauseating enough, but hosting him in Alaska — while Putin's pet propagandists routinely demand it back from the US on state TV — is beyond the pale,' author and commentator Julia Davis wrote on X. 'Unless Putin is arrested upon arrival, there's no excuse.' She posted a series of clips and screenshots of pro-Putin Russian commentators suggesting that Alaska should be part of their country once again. Trump's former national security adviser-turned foe, John Bolton, said the move reminded him of a blunder the president allegedly nearly made in his first term. 'This is not quite as bad as Trump inviting the Taliban to Camp David to talk about the peace negotiations in Afghanistan,' Bolton told CNN's Kaitlan Collins. 'But it certainly reminds one of that.' 'The only better place for Putin than Alaska would be if the summit were being held in Moscow,' Bolton added. 'So the initial setup, I think, is a great victory for Putin.' Julia Ioffe, founding partner and Washington correspondent of Puck News, tweeted: 'So Vladimir Putin, who has an ICC warrant out for his arrest, gets a meeting with the U.S. president on U.S. soil without having to give up or even promise anything—after ignoring and insulting Trump. One more win for Putin, one more loss for Trump.' Ruth Deyermond, senior lecturer in war studies at Kings College, London, wrote: 'Since the end of the Cold War, summits have been used by US presidents as a mark of approval and withheld when they disapprove of Russian actions. Trump is, once again, signalling the value he places on Putin's friendship. It's a profound humiliation for the US. 'For Trump to announce a summit - the traditional US reward for friendly Russian presidents - with Putin, on the day he had said would be the deadline for announcing action to punish Russian aggression is an extraordinary move. It's an unambiguous signal of alignment with Russia.' GOP Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska said that she was 'deeply wary' of Putin as she reacted to the news that the summit would take place in her home state. 'This is another opportunity for the Arctic to serve as a venue that brings together world leaders to forge meaningful agreements,' Murkowski said in a post on X Friday. '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.' Putin is wanted by the ICC on a warrant dating back to March 2023 for alleged involvement in the abduction of children from Ukraine during the conflict triggered by Moscow's invasion of its neighbor. At least 19,000 Ukrainian children are thought to have been kidnapped and taken to Russia since the invasion began in February 2022, although Ukrainian officials say the total is probably far higher. Putin's children's rights commissioner, Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova, is also charged over the same alleged offenses. Putin has traveled overseas since the warrant was issued, including to ICC member state Mongolia. He's also traveled to China and North Korea, which are not court members. During the 2024 presidential election campaign, Trump repeatedly pledged to end the war between Russia and Ukraine on 'Day One,' but later claimed he said it 'in jest.' Negotiations on peace talks have been slow moving and, at times, fraught. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who will not be at next week's summit, was ambushed in the Oval Office earlier this year by Trump and Vice President JD Vance. The vice president attacked Zelensky for not saying thank you enough for U.S. financial and military support and accused him of being 'disrespectful.' Trump has made numerous pro-Putin statements in the past, and said gets along with the dictator 'very well.' His tone changed this month, when he said he was 'disappointed' with Putin as peace talks continued to drag and violence in Europe continued. The most famous meeting between the two presidents took place in Helsinki, Finland, in July 2018, during Trump's first term as president. Following the meeting, Trump publicly contradicted U.S. intelligence agencies and appeared to take Putin's word over their findings regarding Russian election interference. The remarks caused bipartisan outrage in Washington, with many accusing Trump of having 'sided with the enemy.' Trump has also publicly blamed Zelensky – rather than Putin – for starting the war.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
White House considering inviting Zelenskyy to Trump-Putin meeting in Alaska
The White House is considering inviting Volodymyr Zelenskyy to a meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Alaska, according to reports in the US. The reports come a day after Washington and Moscow confirmed to discuss bringing about an end to the war in Ukraine. A senior US official and three people briefed on internal discussions have told Sky News' US partner network NBC News that the Trump administration is now considering inviting the Ukrainian president to the summit. "It's being discussed," one of the people briefed on the talks was quoted as saying. The sources said a visit by Mr Zelenskyy has not been finalised - and it is unclear whether the Ukrainian leader will be in Alaska for the summit. However, the senior administration official said it is "absolutely" possible. "Everyone is very hopeful that would happen," the official said. Asked whether the US had officially invited Mr Zelenskyy to Alaska, a senior White House official said: "The President remains open to a trilateral summit with both leaders. Right now, the White House is focusing on planning the bilateral meeting requested by President Putin." Mr Trump told reporters at the White House on Friday before the Alaska summit was confirmed that "we're getting very close to a deal" that would end the war. The US president added there will be "some swapping of territories to the betterment of both sides". However, Mr Zelenskyy warned on Saturday that allowing Russia to keep territory it has occupied in Ukraine will result in another invasion. He said allowing Mr Putin to annex Crimea in 2014 didn't prevent Russia forces from occupying more parts of Ukraine during the current conflict. Mr Zelenskyy added: "Now, Putin wants to be forgiven for seizing the south of our Kherson region, Zaporizhzhia, the entire territory of Luhansk and Donetsk regions, and Crimea. We will not allow this second attempt to partition Ukraine. "Knowing Russia - where there is a second, there will be a third." The reports Mr Zelenksyy could be invited to Alask come as Ukraine and several NATO allies have reportedly been privately concerned Mr Trump might agree to Mr Putin's proposals for ending the war without taking their positions into account. In a joint statement on Saturday night, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and the leaders of France, Italy, Germany, Poland, Finland and the European Commission said Ukraine's future cannot be decided with out Kyiv. They said: "Ukraine has the freedom of choice over its own destiny. Meaningful negotiations can only take place in the context of a ceasefire or reduction of hostilities. "The path to peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without Ukraine. "We remain committed to the principle that international borders must not be changed by force." NATO allies say Ukraine must be at 'negotiating table' UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy had earlier hosted a meeting of top Ukrainian officials and European national security advisers alongside US vice-president JD Vance on Saturday ahead of the Trump-Putin meeting. The meeting took place at the foreign secretary's official country retreat, Chevening, in Kent, where Mr Vance is staying at the start of a UK holiday. After the meeting, Mr Lammy said: "The UK's support for Ukraine remains ironclad as we continue working towards a just and lasting peace." It is understood that the meeting had been called at Washington's request, and included representatives from the US, Ukraine, France, Germany, Italy, Finland and Poland as well as the UK. Ukraine was represented by Rustem Umerov, secretary of the country's national security and defence council, and the head of Mr Zelensky's office, Andriy Yermak. In a post on social media, Mr Yermak said the allies' positions were "clear" that "a reliable, lasting peace is only possible with Ukraine at the negotiating table, with full respect for our sovereignty and without recognising the occupation". Ahead of the meeting at Chevening, Sir Keir discussed the talks in a call with Mr Zelensky on Saturday, and also spoke to French President Emmanuel Macron
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Vance in UK for high-stakes diplomacy day after Trump announces Putin meeting
Vice President JD Vance met with European allies and Ukrainian officials in a day of high-stakes diplomatic talks on Saturday -- less than a week before a historic meeting between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The talks in the UK came just a day after Trump announced the face-to-face meeting with Putin set for Aug. 15 in Alaska to continue negotiations to end the war that has dragged on for more than three years. A U.S. official told ABC News the Saturday talks Vance took part in "produced significant progress toward President Trump's goal of bringing an end to the war in Ukraine." MORE: Trump says he'll meet with Putin next Friday in Alaska The talks Saturday took place at the UK foreign secretary's estate, Chevening House in Kent, England. Vance met with Foreign Secretary David Lammy and representatives from Ukraine and other European allies. The UK meeting came as the upcoming Trump-Putin summit -- set to happen without Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the table -- has raised concern among Ukrainian officials and across Europe. French President Emmanuel Macron said Saturday morning he had spoken with both Zelenskyy and other European leaders and that, "The future of Ukraine cannot be decided without the Ukrainians who have been fighting for their freedom and security for over three years now." MORE: Trump administration weighs value of Putin summit: ANALYSIS Speaking from the White House on Friday, Trump suggested discussions to end the war could include "some swapping of territories," which Zelenskyy later swiftly rejected, saying Ukraine 'will not give Russia any awards for what it has done' and that 'Ukrainians will not give their land to the occupier.' Zelenskyy and other Ukrainian officials have also insisted that any negotiations must include Ukraine at the table. "Our positions were clear: a reliable, lasting peace is only possible with Ukraine at the negotiating table, with full respect for our sovereignty and without recognizing the occupation," Andriy Yermak, head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, said in a statement Saturday that also thanked JD Vance for taking part in the UK talks. MORE: Zelenskyy rejects ceding Ukrainian territory, says Kyiv must be part of negotiations In an address Saturday evening, Zelenskyy called the talks Saturday in the UK "constructive" and said they came during an "active day of diplomacy" between Ukraine and several EU allies. "All our messages were conveyed," Zelenskyy said of the talks with Vance. "Our arguments are being heard. The risks are being taken into account. The path to peace for Ukraine must be determined together – and only together – with Ukraine. This is fundamental. And it is important that our joint approaches and shared vision work toward a genuine peace. A consolidated position. A ceasefire. An end to the occupation. An end to the war." Speaking more broadly, Zelenskyy said he believes Trump "has the leverage and the determination" to end the war, adding that "Ukraine has supported all of President Trump's proposals, starting back in February." Friday marked the deadline Trump set for Putin to agree to a ceasefire with Ukraine or face "secondary sanctions" against countries that buy oil from Russia. But uncertainty remained as to whether the U.S. would hit Moscow with new economic penalties — and Trump has now agreed to meet with Putin. The meeting in Alaska will be Putin's first meeting with a major Western leader since Russia invaded Ukraine more than three years ago -- and his first visit to the U.S. in 10 years.
