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A photo collage depicts Russian President Vladimir Putin during a meeting with Arkhangelsk Region Governor Alexander Tsybulsky in Severodvinsk, Arkhangelsk region, Russia, on July 24, 2025, alongside US President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington, DC, on May 28, 2025, during the swearing-in of interim US Attorney Jeanine Pirro. — Reuters
– Summit scheduled at a military base in Alaska.
– Trump expresses confidence that Putin will reach an agreement.
– A Kremlin source suggests that both parties seem close to finalizing some terms.
The leaders of Russia and the United States are set to meet in Alaska on Friday, at a Cold War-era air force base. Trump’s hopes of brokering a ceasefire in Ukraine remain uncertain, though Putin has floated a potential nuclear deal that might help both leaders save face. This will be their first in-person discussion since Trump re-entered the White House. There’s growing concern among Ukraine and European nations that Trump might compromise Kyiv’s interests.
Trump, who previously claimed he could end Russia’s Ukraine war in 24 hours, admitted Thursday that the three-and-a-half-year conflict has proved more complex than expected. He indicated that if his talks with Putin proceed positively, a subsequent three-way summit with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky—who isn’t attending this meeting—could be even more significant than his meeting with Putin. Trump is pushing for a ceasefire, aiming to bolster his reputation as a peacemaker deserving of the Nobel Peace Prize—something he values highly.
Ukraine and its European allies felt reassured after a recent conference call where Trump allegedly confirmed Ukraine’s involvement in any territorial negotiations. Zelensky also claimed Trump supported security guarantees after the war, although the US hasn’t publicly confirmed this. The call reduced fears that a deal between Trump and Putin might leave Ukraine under pressure to make territorial concessions.
Putin, under economic strain from ongoing sanctions, hopes Trump will help Russia break free from Western restrictions or at least prevent new sanctions, which Trump has threatened. On the eve of the summit, Putin hinted at the possibility of negotiating a new nuclear arms control treaty to replace the current agreement, set to expire next February.
Trump has expressed belief that Putin will agree to a Ukraine deal, though he’s also been inconsistent about the chances of an agreement. Putin, on the other hand, praised “sincere efforts” from the US to end the conflict. A Kremlin source indicated that preliminary negotiations might have yielded some common ground, with some terms possibly being finalized on Friday, mainly because Trump is unlikely to be refused and Russia faces sanctions pressures.
While Putin has set strict conditions for a full ceasefire, a compromise could involve a phased truce that limits further escalation. Both sides have accused each other of violating previous agreements. Analysts suggest Putin might present a lenient face to Trump while retaining the option to escalate in Ukraine at will. “If Moscow can put forward a deal that appears to offer a ceasefire but allows Russia to maintain control over escalation, that could benefit Putin,” said Sam Greene of the Center for European Policy Analysis.
Zelensky has accused Putin of bluffing and stalling to avoid secondary US sanctions and has firmly rejected the idea of transferring territory to Russia. Trump has proposed that territorial exchanges might help break the deadlock. Putin, who controls nearly 20% of Ukraine, seeks to revive economic and political ties with the US independently of Ukraine’s progress, but his main goal remains full control of eastern Ukraine’s Donbas region—still partly outside Russian control—and other key territories. Ukraine has dismissed these demands as tantamount to capitulation.
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