Alaska: Anchorage, Alaska, is in the global spotlight as U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin prepare for a face-to-face meeting this Friday, in what analysts describe as one of the most consequential and high-risk diplomatic encounters in recent years. The talks, expected to focus heavily on the war in Ukraine, will be held at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson — Alaska’s largest military installation and a former Cold War outpost used for monitoring the Soviet Union.
The summit is symbolically significant: it marks the first time Putin will set foot on U.S. territory since ordering the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The conflict has left thousands dead, with Russia recently making swift battlefield gains in the lead-up to the meeting.
Anchorage is feeling the impact of hosting the event. Nearly every hotel in and around the city is fully booked, ride services are in short supply, and authorities have issued temporary airspace restrictions from 9:30 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. local time on Friday. Officials have clarified that these flight curbs are not expected to cause major disruptions to regular commercial routes.
Governor Mike Dunleavy called the gathering “one of the most significant events in Anchorage’s history,” noting that the city has previously welcomed high-profile figures, including Pope John Paul II and former President Ronald Reagan.
According to the current schedule, President Trump is due to land at approximately 10:10 a.m., with President Putin arriving roughly 50 minutes later. Formal talks are slated to begin around 11:30 a.m., followed by a press briefing — either jointly or by Trump alone.
The meeting comes with considerable political baggage. Trump has openly praised Putin in the past, drawing intense backlash after their 2018 summit, when he appeared to side with the Russian leader over U.S. intelligence agencies on the question of Moscow’s interference in the 2016 presidential election. Since returning to the White House, Trump has blamed his predecessor, Joe Biden, for the war in Ukraine and vowed to end the conflict “within 24 hours” of securing an agreement with Putin.
However, despite repeated outreach — including a contentious February 28 Oval Office session in which Trump sharply criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky — Putin has shown little willingness to compromise. Trump has expressed frustration over the stalemate, warning of “very severe consequences” should Putin refuse a ceasefire, yet he still agreed to the Alaska meeting in hopes of breaking the deadlock.
Adding a historical twist, the summit will take place in a state the U.S. purchased from Russia in 1867 — a transaction the Kremlin has often referenced to justify land negotiations. Russian officials say the two leaders will meet privately with interpreters before moving to a working lunch joined by senior aides from both sides.
As the world watches, the Anchorage summit is poised to be more than a symbolic handshake; it could shape the trajectory of a war that has destabilized global politics for more than three years.
