Russian President Vladimir Putin landed on American soil Friday and set foot on a red carpet laid out by the Trump administration, greeted by an American president eager to discuss the prospects for peace in Ukraine despite the Russian army bombing civilian targets throughout the day.
A U.S. stealth bomber flew overhead at Elmendorf Air Force Base in Anchorage as Putin deplaned, and Trump offered him applause before the two men walked between U.S. fighter jets to the "Beast," the official U.S. presidential vehicle. The two leaders rode together to the meeting site.
The pomp and circumstance for the Russian leader effectively ends his status as a pariah in Washington ever since he launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, leading to Europe's bloodiest conflict since the Second World War.
The high-stakes summit comes as Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, condemned Russian forces for striking a civilian market in Sumy on the heels of the Alaska talks. "On the day of negotiations, the Russians are killing as well," Zelensky said in a statement. "And that speaks volumes."
Read more: Trump says Putin wants a deal as Kremlin says Ukraine war aims remain ‘unchanged’
Speaking with reporters aboard Air Force One on his way to Anchorage, Trump had suggested he plans to take a tougher line with Putin, threatening to walk if he doesn't see immediate progress.
"I want to see a ceasefire," Trump said. "I don't know if it's going to be today, but I'm not going to be happy if it's not today."
The two men were scheduled to meet privately, accompanied only by translators, before joining their aides for a working lunch. But in-flight, Trump's plans changed to include his secretary of State and national security advisor, Marco Rubio, as well as his special envoy to the conflict, Steve Witkoff.
Whether Putin is ready to agree to an immediate ceasefire is far from clear, with the Russian Foreign Ministry stating this week that the Kremlin's war aims are "unchanged." Over the past week, with the presidential summit scheduled, the Russian army launched an aggressive attempt to breech the Ukrainian front lines.
Trump told reporters that Putin would face “economically severe” consequences if negotiations in Anchorage on Friday fail to yield progress toward peace. He said that only Ukraine could decide whether to cede territory to Moscow. And he expressed support for U.S. security guarantees for Ukraine in any future peace agreement, so long as they fall short of NATO membership for the beleaguered nation.
“Yes, it would be very severe,” Trump said. “Very severe.”
Putin has brought several Russian business leaders along with him from Moscow, according to the Kremlin, a sign he hopes to begin discussions on normalizing relations with Washington. But Trump said he would not discuss business opportunities until the war is settled.
Read more: Is Putin laying a trap in Alaska, or is Trump?
It’s a position that will relieve allies in Europe who are hoping Trump will approach Putin with a firm hand, after months of applying pressure on Zelensky to prepare to make concessions to Moscow.
Zelensky was not invited to the Alaska negotiations. But Trump said he hoped his meeting Friday would lead to direct talks “very shortly.” The Ukrainian president met with Britain's prime minister in recent days, and will meet with French President Emmanuel Macron after the Alaska summit concludes.
Trump had said in recent days that a peace deal would include the “swapping” of land, a prospect roundly rejected in Kyiv. The Ukrainian constitution prohibits territorial concessions without the support of a public referendum.
He seemed to soften that stance Friday.
“They'll be discussed, but I've got to let Ukraine make that decision,” the president said of land swaps. “I’m not here to negotiate for Ukraine. I’m here to get them to the table.”
Trump's meeting with Putin is the first of its kind between a U.S. and Russian president since 2021.
The two leaders are expected to host a news conference after their meetings, standing before American and Russian flags and a sign that reads "pursuing peace."
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
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