3 days ago
High stakes meeting between Putin and Trump today in Alaska; unprecedented security in place, if talks fail...
New Delhi: As the Russia-Ukraine war rages on, and the USA and Russia have been engaged in a vitriolic rhetoric, the presidents of both countries, Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, will meet in Alaska, USA, on August 15. The big agenda of this meeting is to stop the Russia-Ukraine war that has escalated since February 2022, when Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Notably, the two leaders are meeting after seven years. Where is the Trump-Putin meeting being held?
The much-awaited and important meeting will be held at the Elmendorf-Richardson Military Base in Anchorage, Alaska's largest city, with only one translator between them. The details of the discussions between the two leaders will not be shared, as both leaders will hold a press conference after the meeting. What are the security and protocol preparations for the meeting?
Before Putin's arrival in Alaska, his armoured limousine Aurus Senate had already reached the base by a Russian cargo plane. The water bottles and cups used in the meeting will also be sealed by Putin's team, while Russian fighter jets have been deployed in Anadyr, 88 km from Alaska.
The Russian President will be accompanied by his FSO (Federal Protective Service) unit. Moreover, 32 thousand American soldiers are already deployed at this military base, also called the Ice Fortress. According to Trump's security protocol, Keyhole (KH-11) recon satellites will also be active. At the same time, the entire network of the base will be air-gapped (cut off from the internet) for cybersecurity.
A no-fly zone will be enforced in the entire area up to a radius of 300 km. There will be double-layer security inside and outside the base. The first will be military police and National Guard, the second will be Special Forces and Secret Service's counter-assault team. Trump's Air Force One plane will be under full-time military guard as soon as it lands. Why have the two presidents chosen Alaska only for their meeting?
According to the BBC, the biggest reason for Trump and Putin meeting in Alaska is security. The nearest part of Alaska's mainland is just 90 km away from Russia's Chukotka. Putin can reach there without flying over any 'enemy' country.
There are some Russian air force bases and military monitoring stations in this area, where there may also be nuclear weapons. Putin's meeting here will be more secure.
The second reason is distance. Alaska is very far from Ukraine and Europe.
Alaska is the only US state with territory in the Arctic. Its proximity to Russia, with only about 88 km (55 miles) across the Bering Strait separating the two, gives Alaska significant strategic importance in US defence and Arctic policy.
Alaska's closeness to Russia makes it a practical location for high-level discussions on global security, commerce, and environmental concerns. What are the risk factors for Putin in Alaska?
This meeting is taking place at the initiative of US President Trump, and hence America will take any risk regarding Putin's security in Alaska, USA. This can be dangerous not only for the future of US-Russia relations, but also for the Russia-Ukraine war. On its part, Russia will be on highest alert to keep the president safe. What will happen if the talks fail?
In the event of the failure of the talks between the US and Russian presidents, the United States will impose extra tariffs on India. This was announced by US Finance Minister Scott Besant. Talking to Bloomberg, he said, 'This tariff will depend on the outcome of the meeting between US President Trump and Russian President Putin in Alaska on Friday.'
