Anchorage (Alaska): U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are scheduled to fulfill on August 15 at 3:30 p.m. ET (11:30 a.m. native time) in Anchorage. The summit has captured international consideration, with the eyes of Europe, Ukraine and the USA mounted on the occasion.
Trump informed reporters on Air Pressure One which his objective was to not negotiate on behalf of Ukraine. “I’m not there to make offers for Ukraine. My goal is to get Putin to the desk,” he informed reporters, clarifying that he wouldn’t promise safety ensures for Kyiv as a part of any potential settlement.
He added that he had spoken to Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko forward of the assembly.
Zelensky Sidelined?
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will not be attending the summit. “Ukraine will likely be relying on America,” Zelensky emphasised.
Trump has urged a future trilateral assembly with Zelensky if immediately’s summit goes effectively, a proposal the Ukrainian chief welcomed.
Time Zone Puzzle
Time variations add complexity to the summit. Moscow is 11 hours forward of Anchorage, whereas Washington D.C. is 4 hours forward. The White Home and the Kremlin are separated by 7 hours.
Trump is predicted to fulfill Putin shortly after 11 a.m. in Anchorage, which corresponds to three p.m. in Washington D.C. and 10 p.m. in Moscow.
Energy Performs
Previous summits trace at doable theatrics. Trump mentioned he would gauge Putin’s seriousness about ending the battle in Ukraine “throughout the first two minutes”.
At their Helsinki summit seven years in the past, Putin stored Trump ready for over an hour after touchdown solely 10 minutes earlier than the assembly.
Extended delays, as seen with former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, have been used as energy performs by Putin.
Territorial Talks
Forward of immediately, Trump spoke of doable territorial changes between Russia and Ukraine.
“You’re looking at territory that has been fought over for 3 and a half years… Loads of Ukrainians have died. We want to get some again and a few swapping. There will likely be some swapping of territories to the betterment of each,” he mentioned.
The Russian overseas ministry maintains that Putin’s maximalist battle targets stay unchanged, proposing that Ukraine cede the jap Donbas area in change for a ceasefire.
Zelensky has refused to give up the Donbas, saying it might permit Putin to “begin a 3rd battle”.
Symbolic Gestures
Russian journalists flew to Alaska on a state-chartered aircraft and had been served hen Kyiv cutlets. RT chief Margarita Simonyan shared the element on Telegram and referred to as it a “good signal for the upcoming negotiations”.
Russian Overseas Minister Sergey Lavrov arrived carrying a sweatshirt emblazoned with “USSR” in Cyrillic, a nod to the Soviet period. Professional-Kremlin commentators framed these gestures as symbolic digs at Ukraine.
Diplomatic Issues
Trump’s particular envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, didn’t journey to Alaska. A senior administration official defined his absence, citing perceptions of him being “sympathetic to Ukraine”.
Kellogg has shared his insights with Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who will not be seen as mushy on Russia.
European officers expressed concern, noting his absence reduces the depth of data on Ukrainian positions.
Summit Length and Agenda
The Kremlin expects the talks to final “a minimum of 6 to 7 hours”, based on spokesperson Dmitry Peskov. The preliminary one-on-one dialog will embody interpreters, adopted by discussions over a enterprise lunch.
Europe’s Expectations
European leaders need Trump to stay agency on Ukraine. They demand a long-lasting ceasefire, sanctions if Russia refuses, respect for worldwide borders, strong safety ensures for Ukraine and no Russian veto over NATO or EU membership.
In the meantime, Russia continues assaults in Ukraine. A missile strike killed a civilian in Dnipro and injured one other, damaging a truck and a minibus. Civilian infrastructure in Sumy was hit and two Ukrainian cops had been killed in Donetsk’s Sviatohirsk area.
The Anchorage summit unfolds towards this backdrop of ongoing battle, heightened diplomacy and international scrutiny, with the world watching how Trump and Putin navigate the stakes for Ukraine and worldwide safety.