BBC has reported that U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are set to hold an important meeting on Friday, August 15, in the U.S. state of Alaska. The purpose of the meeting is to pave the way for ending the Russia–Ukraine war, which began in February 2022.
Since the start of his second term, President Trump has claimed he could “end the war within 24 hours” and has been making peace efforts, though several previous talks, phone conversations, and diplomatic visits have yet to produce concrete progress.
Trump announced on his social media platform Truth Social that the meeting would be held in Alaska on August 15 — a statement also confirmed by the Kremlin, which called the location “logical and appropriate.” Referring to Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Trump said, “If they want to meet with me, I’m willing to make any effort to stop the killing.” Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump added, “Some territories between Ukraine and Russia will be exchanged, which will benefit both countries,” though he did not provide details.
The choice of Alaska as the meeting venue has both historical and geographical significance. In 1867, Russia sold Alaska to the United States, and geographically, Alaska’s western coast is separated from Russia’s eastern side only by the Bering Strait.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Zelensky has expressed his wish for the summit to be trilateral, reiterating that a direct meeting with Putin is the only way to achieve peace. Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff proposed such a trilateral meeting to Putin during talks this week, but the Russian side has said that direct talks with Ukraine would only be possible in the final stage of negotiations.
Zelensky, however, has insisted that Ukraine will not engage in any land trade under the name of a ceasefire. In a video message, he stated that Ukraine would not violate its constitution regarding territorial issues. On the other hand, Putin has recently held talks with leaders from five countries — including China and India — regarding the Ukraine war.
He spoke separately by phone with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. According to Reuters, these discussions included preparations for talks with the U.S. on the Ukraine war and Putin’s meeting in Moscow with Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff.
Putin held a three-hour discussion with Witkoff in Moscow about the war, after which he briefed the five leaders over the phone. During the calls, China’s President Xi described the ongoing U.S.–Russia discussions as a positive development, saying, “Maintaining continuous contact and improving relations between Russia and the U.S. is a positive thing for the political resolution of the Ukraine crisis,” as quoted by Reuters from China’s state news agency CCTV.
