Former U.S. President Donald Trump announced via his Truth Social platform that his highly anticipated meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin will take place on Friday, August 15, in Alaska. The announcement comes as American, Ukrainian, and various European officials prepare for weekend talks in the United Kingdom, aiming to forge a common position ahead of the Putin-Trump summit, according to an Axios report citing sources. This in-person meeting proposal reportedly emerged during the third conference call among officials in three days.
This visit marks Putin’s first trip to the United States in nearly a decade, his last being in September 2015. While Putin met U.S. President Joe Biden in Geneva in 2021 before the Ukraine invasion, his last meeting with Trump occurred during Trump’s first term. Putin met Trump six times during that period, Barack Obama nine times, and George W. Bush 28 times over Bush’s two terms.
Kremlin advisor Yuri Ushakov, quoted by Interfax, commented on the choice of Alaska, noting the shared border and the logic of the Russian delegation “simply crossing the Bering Strait” for such a significant summit. He further stated the Kremlin expects the *next* meeting between the two leaders to be held on Russian territory, confirming an invitation has already been extended to Trump. Alaska, purchased by the U.S. from Russia over 150 years ago, provides the venue for this upcoming encounter.