The White House has confirmed that the anticipated summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin will be held in Anchorage, Alaska, on Friday. This decision came after weeks of speculation regarding the venue, with the administration finally revealing the location. The event follows a series of diplomatic discussions, including a three-hour meeting between Putin and Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, in Moscow last week.
White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt noted that the selection of Anchorage was a result of extensive deliberation involving multiple potential sites. She emphasized Trump’s enthusiasm for hosting Putin on American soil, expressing his honor at the opportunity. The summit’s primary objective is to enhance mutual understanding regarding the conflict between Moscow and Kyiv, as stated by Leavitt, adding that Trump agreed to the meeting at Putin’s request through Witkoff.
Additionally, there are discussions about arranging a trilateral meeting involving both Putin and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky. However, Zelensky and Western leaders have insisted that any resolution to the conflict must include Kyiv’s participation. Despite Zelensky, the Kremlin has raised concerns about the Ukrainian leader’s authority, citing his term’s expiration last year and his refusal to hold new elections under martial law conditions.