US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin met on August 15, 2025, at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska for a high-stakes summit aimed at negotiating an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine. This meeting marked their first face-to-face interaction in six years and drew intense international attention.
Trump expressed optimism that Putin is ready to make a deal to cease hostilities, emphasizing that it would ultimately be Ukraine’s decision whether to engage in territorial swaps with Russia. Trump promised a follow-up summit including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who was notably excluded from the Alaska talks but insisted he must be part of any agreements affecting Ukrainian land.
Russian media hailed the summit as a diplomatic victory for Putin, celebrating Russia’s return to the global stage and criticizing European efforts to influence the talks. Moscow reportedly demanded Kyiv cede control of four Ukrainian oblasts partially occupied by Russian forces: Donetsk, Luhansk (the Donbas region), Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson. Kyiv refused to concede these territories outright, though a freeze on the frontline was a potential compromise.
The summit included discussions on an airstrike truce and a possible new nuclear arms control agreement. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz called on Putin to negotiate a ceasefire without preconditions and stressed the importance of involving Ukraine in peace talks.
Ukrainians and European allies monitored the outcome warily, concerned that Trump’s drive for a peace deal might pressure Ukraine into unfavorable territorial concessions. Trump acknowledged the difficulty of negotiations but remained hopeful for progress, ready to end the meeting quickly if no agreement was possible.
A 5.9 magnitude earthquake struck Russia’s east coast hours before the summit, adding surreal timing to a session that could reshape security dynamics in Europe and beyond.
As the summit unfolded, global eyes watched closely whether the talks would pave a path to peace or deepen divisions in one of the most consequential conflicts of the 21st century.