Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump are set to meet in Alaska on Friday for high-stakes talks aimed at finding a path toward resolving the ongoing Ukraine conflict, according to the Kremlin.
The meeting will mark the first encounter between a sitting U.S. and Russian president since 2021. It comes as Trump positions himself to play a direct role in negotiating an end to Russia’s nearly three-and-a-half-year military offensive in Ukraine.
Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters on Thursday that “it is probably obvious to everyone that the central topic will be the resolution of the Ukraine crisis.” He noted that the leaders would also address broader issues related to global peace and security, alongside other pressing international and regional matters.
The talks are scheduled to begin at 11:30 a.m. local time in Alaska (1930 GMT). Ushakov confirmed the first stage will be a private, one-on-one discussion between Putin and Trump, attended only by their interpreters. This will be followed by expanded negotiations involving their respective delegations over a working breakfast.
Russia’s delegation will include Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Defence Minister Andrei Belousov, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov, and senior economic negotiator Kirill Dmitriev.
Following the talks, Putin and Trump will hold a joint press conference to present the outcomes of their discussions. Ushakov noted that this will be the first joint media briefing between U.S. and Russian leaders since the 2018 Helsinki summit, which also featured Putin and Trump.
