Mark your calendars! President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin are scheduled to meet on August 15 at a vast U.S. military base in Anchorage, Alaska. This crucial summit is being called a high-stakes opportunity to discuss the war in Ukraine, which has been ongoing for three years now.
A White House spokesperson confirmed to USA TODAY that the meeting will take place at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, covering over 13,000 acres. According to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, this face-to-face gathering is being d a listening exercise.
Leavitt emphasized the main goal for Trump: gaining a clearer vision of how to potentially bring the conflict to an end. “The purpose of this meeting is to leave with a much better grasp of how we can make peace happen,” she said during a briefing on August 12.
Anchorage: Alaska’s Biggest Hub and the Site of the Summit
The gathering will be a notable moment as it’s the first encounter between a sitting U.S. president and Putin since the Russian assault on Ukraine began. The last time Putin met with a U.S. president was during Joe Biden’s term in June 2021—taking place in Geneva.
On another note, Anchorage is Alaska’s largest city with a population hitting around 300,000. However, Juneau, the state capital 570 miles away, is facing its own troubles, currently in an evacuation state due to flooding.
Before the upcoming face-off with Putin, Trump is set to hold a virtual meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and leaders from Europe on August 13. Zelenskyy has already landed in Berlin for a video conference led by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz that will host top officials from NATO member countries, including Finland, France, Great Britain, Italy, Poland, and members of the European Union. Vice President JD Vance is also expected to join the conference.
On August 13, Zelenskyy indicated the importance of meeting with the U.S. to discuss the situation, while voicing concerns about a lack of movement from Russia towards peace. He raised alarms about not seeing any encouraging signs from Moscow.
He shared on X, “Currently, there’s no sign that Russia is looking to cease hostilities. Our combined efforts—involving Ukraine, the U.S., Europe, and all nations committed to peace—can indeed force Russia to the negotiation table.”
Contributions from: Reuters
This news was originally published by USA TODAY under the title: Trump and Putin Set to Meet in Alaska This Month
