Putin to Fly to the US for High-Stakes Meeting with Trump in Alaska for Ukraine Talks

President Donald Trump revealed on Friday that he will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska next week. The president announced on his Truth Social account that the meeting is set for Friday, August 15.

“The highly anticipated meeting between myself, as President of the United States of America, and President Vladimir Putin, of Russia, will take place next Friday, August 15, 2025, in the Great State of Alaska,” Trump wrote. “Further details to follow. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” Earlier on Friday, the president told reporters that his efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war would begin with a meeting with Putin in the coming days.

High-Stakes Meeting Next Week

The president acknowledged that ending the three-and-a-half-year war would require negotiations over certain territories in Ukraine. “It’s complicated, nothing easy,” he previewed. “It’s very complicated but we’re going to get some back and we’re going to get some switched.”

Trump said that his priority is bringing the war to an end and “saving lives.” “I think if we didn’t come, Ukraine and Russia would have ended up being a World War, and I stopped that,” he said.

The summit will be the first in-person meeting between a U.S. and Russian leader since former President Joe Biden sat down with Putin in 2021. Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in 2022 following that meeting, and Biden has since declined to meet with Putin.

It will also mark the first visit by Putin — or any Russian head of state — to the United States since September 28, 2015, when he met with then-President Barack Obama during the UN General Assembly in New York City.

The unexpected announcement comes just a day after Trump’s latest deadline for Russia to commit to peace talks expired.

Trump’s statement also follows reports from multiple U.S. outlets quoting a White House official who said any meeting with the Russian leader would depend on his willingness to meet directly with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

However, when questioned by reporters, Trump clarified that a meeting between Putin and Zelensky would not be required for the planned U.S.-Russia talks to proceed.

Complicated Issue but Ukraine Not Involved

The U.S. president continues to push for a diplomatic solution to the conflict in Ukraine and has warned of economic sanctions if Putin refuses to engage with Zelensky. Had the US missed the peace talk deadline, the nation would have been prepared to impose secondary tariffs targeting Russia’s major allies, India and China.

In anticipation of these measures, India announced last night that it was halting its purchases of Russian oil.

The action would strip the Kremlin of billions in oil revenue used to fund its occupation and attacks on Ukraine.

When questioned about the deadline, Trump said the decision was “up to” Putin.

“It’s going to be up to him [Putin]. We’re going to see what he has to say. It’s going to be up to him. Very disappointed.”