Trump extends a warm welcome in Anchorage.
Headline: Trump-Putin Summit in Alaska Focuses on Ukraine with No Formal Agreement Reached
The latest developments regarding the highly anticipated meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin took place on August 15, 2025, at Joint Base Elmendorf–Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska. This summit, primarily focused on the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian War, marked a significant moment as it was the first time since Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine that Putin visited a Western country.
Trump is expected to roll out the red carpet for Putin's arrival at the military base, but it remains unclear whether there will be a joint press conference after the meeting. The details of the meeting are still not finalized, and it is uncertain whether Trump will call Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky or European heads of state and government before the meeting.
During the summit, Trump expressed his desire for a bilateral meeting between Putin and Zelensky to follow, as well as a later trilateral summit including himself, Putin, and Zelensky. However, Putin's stance is that Ukraine must recognize Russia’s claims to the Donbas region, a demand that Kyiv and its allies reject. Trump indicated a shift in his thinking, advocating for progressing directly to a peace deal rather than demanding a ceasefire beforehand.
Regarding Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, there has been no direct involvement in the Anchorage summit itself. Shortly after the summit, Zelensky and several European leaders met with Trump in the White House to discuss the conflict and peace prospects. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer appeared alongside Zelensky at a related event, underscoring European support for Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian authorities have ordered the evacuation of the city of Druzhkivka and other frontline towns due to the advance of Russian troops in eastern Ukraine. Forces of the 15th mobile unit "Iron Border" of the state border guard service of Ukraine have destroyed three Russian positions with the help of drones, causing five Russian soldiers to be killed and three others to be injured.
In a related development, an overnight drone attack by Ukraine hit the Rosneft oil refinery in Sysran, Russia, causing fires and smoke columns. It is unclear whether Russia has sustained any significant losses in combat aircraft, but reports suggest that one Su-30SM fighter jet was lost near the Snake Island.
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov caused a stir upon his arrival in Anchorage with a T-shirt bearing the inscription "CCCP" (USSR in English), which might be a deliberate provocation. Maximilian Terhalle, a security expert at the Hoover Institution of Stanford University, warns that Putin is trying to remove Ukraine from the summit agenda. Military expert Ralph Thiele expects low expectations and high concerns for the summit in Alaska.
According to a survey by the Pew Research Center, nearly 60 percent of respondents said they were not very or not at all confident that Trump would make a wise decision in the Ukraine war. Sahra Wagenknecht, chairwoman of BSW, opposes a NATO perspective for Ukraine ahead of the meeting in Alaska. The US Agency for International Development (USAID) did not monitor the use of 5,175 Starlink terminals delivered to Ukraine.
In conclusion, the Trump-Putin summit in Alaska is seen as a step in ongoing, but fragile, diplomacy amid continued fighting. The US under Trump is pushing for talks, but major obstacles remain, particularly Putin's conditions and reluctance to directly negotiate with Zelensky. The future of the Russo-Ukrainian War remains uncertain, with both sides continuing to engage in military actions and diplomatic maneuvers.
The community policy regarding the Trump-Putin summit remains unclear, particularly in terms of a potential joint press conference or Trump's communication with Ukrainian and European leaders before the meeting. Despite this, politics and general news surrounding the summit are intensifying, as Putin wears a T-shirt with "CCCP" in Anchorage, and military actions continue in Ukraine, including a drone attack on a Russian oil refinery. Employment policies for the summit, such as the roles of the US Secret Service and Alaska National Guard, are being implemented as they prepare for Putin's arrival. Furthermore, the employment policy of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) is facing scrutiny following reports that they did not monitor the use of Starlink terminals delivered to Ukraine.
