Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin arrive in Alaska for a vital meeting on Ukraine and nuclear weapons | Credit: @geiger_capital/on x
Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin rescued their respective aircraft, shook hands, and stood on stage with “Alaska 2025” hanging out front as the world’s press captured the moment.
As Trump led Putin towards the stage he set up for a formal welcome, two US fighters adjoining both B-2 stealth bombers, urging Putin to look at the display of military talent. The impressive elevated road can be seen in this video posted to X by Geiger Capital. On his way to Alaska, on his way to Air Force 1, Trump was asked what success would be like at this meeting. His first response to the question was to say, “I can’t tell you that.”
“I want to see a ceasefire”
He then went on to say, “There’s nothing in the stone. I want something specific. I want to see a ceasefire. This has nothing to do with Europe. Europe doesn’t tell me what to do. Then he repeated, “I want to see a ceasefire quickly. I don’t know if it will happen today. But I wouldn’t be happy if it wasn’t today. And he couldn’t pass the opportunity without bashing his predecessor and giving an inflated estimate of how much Joe Biden had sent to Ukraine. “He sent $350 billion in exchange for anything. But what I care about is that they lost 7,011 people last week (in Ukraine). “36 people in towns struck by missiles. It’s crazy.”
Trump treats Putin more than Zelensky
The BBC criticized Putin for being receiving a completely different reception from what Zelensky did when he visited the White House earlier this year. It was an extraordinary scene that Zelensky saw in February when he was the subject of an absolute Trump attack at the White House. Putin could be seen smiling while sitting in the presidential car with Trump. Before the words are said, this is a victory for him. Trump has achieved nothing just by getting Putin here. But Putin has already achieved a fair deal by getting off the plane, walking down the red carpet, and entering the beast.
“This is the man who was an international pariah,” the UK news outlet commented.
The meeting begins
Officially, the meeting began at 11:32 ET in Alaska (21:32 CST, 20:32 BST). About 40 minutes after the meeting began, CNN reported that Putin had not answered a reporter’s questions about the war in Ukraine as meeting with his American counterparts began.
Putin seemed confused as several journalists began screaming for questions. He was asked whether he agreed to a ceasefire, whether he would promise not to kill more civilians, and why Trump should now trust his words. Putin was then seen screaming and uttering something in the direction of the press, but what he said is unknown, CNN added.
Meetings can take 6-7 hours
The one-on-one meeting has now reached 3-on-3. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and envoy Steve Witkov are alongside Trump, while Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov are with Putin. This meeting may be a long meeting. Today, the Kremlin said it could take up to six to seven hours.
All of this is done from the public’s view. A pool of reporters travelled with Trump from Washington this morning, sitting in an outdoor tent with a media representative who was in the location before the meeting. At one point, news media representatives are hoping to be told to prepare for a joint press conference after a meeting in the nearby ballroom. At that point, the world learns what came from these consultations.
Zelensky commented from the bystander
Ukrainian President Voldymi Zelensky called on Russia to “end the war that has been dragged out for years since it began and its own death. The killings must stop.” The Ukrainian leader says that meetings for the duo are “necessary,” but reiterates that Kiev must also be included in the negotiations to ensure that “effective decisions” are made. Zelensky was not invited to attend today’s meeting at Anchorage. “We need security guarantees. We need lasting peace,” he writes in X.
He later posted another statement to X, saying, “Even on negotiation day, they’re killing Russians too. It speaks volumes. Recently, we discussed what we can really work with the US and Europeans. Everyone needs war.
