Pressure intensified ahead of a landmark summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, as the two leaders prepare to meet Friday at Elmendorf Air Force Base in Anchorage.
This will mark the first time Putin has set foot on Western soil since Russia’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, a conflict that has claimed tens of thousands of lives.
Trump cautioned that the meeting represented a “make-or-break” opportunity, saying that Putin would have only one chance to deliver meaningful progress. “There may be no second meeting because, if I feel that it’s not appropriate… we are not going to have a second meeting,” Trump told reporters.
He added that if the initial talks go well, a follow-up summit including both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy could occur quickly.
The summit comes amid Moscow’s continued battlefield gains in Ukraine. According to the US-based Institute for the Study of War, Russian forces advanced by 110 square kilometers (42.5 square miles) on August 12, their largest 24-hour territorial gain in over a year.
Ukrainian soldiers near Kramatorsk expressed skepticism over the summit’s potential impact. “Putin is massing an army, his army is growing, he is stockpiling weapons, he is pulling the wool over our eyes,” said Artem, a 30-year-old serviceman.
Ahead of the meeting, Trump engaged in separate calls with Zelenskyy and European leaders, who expressed confidence that the U.S. would seek a ceasefire rather than press Ukraine into concessions.
Zelenskyy, however, remained cautious. “Putin definitely does not want peace,” he told reporters, reaffirming Ukraine’s refusal to cede territory.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz emphasized that while Ukraine is prepared to negotiate, legal recognition of Russian-occupied areas “would not be up for debate.” NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte declared, “The ball is now in Putin’s court.”
The summit is taking place at a Cold War-era base that historically monitored Soviet activity, a symbolic choice for what many are calling a high-stakes meeting. To facilitate the visit, the U.S. Treasury Department temporarily eased sanctions for senior Russian officials, allowing them to carry out routine transactions during their stay.
Trump, who has long voiced admiration for Putin, had previously promised to end the Ukraine war within 24 hours of returning to the White House. However, frustration has grown as Putin continues military operations and ignores calls for a ceasefire.
“Russia will face severe consequences if it does not halt its offensive,” Trump warned, underscoring the stakes of the Alaska meeting.
The world will be watching as two of the most influential leaders confront the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, a war whose resolution, or escalation, could hinge on the outcome of these talks.
Written By Rodney Mbua
