Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin will meet in Alaska to negotiate an end to the Ukraine war, marking their first face-to-face talks in six years. Trump aims to leverage his personal rapport with Putin to broker a ceasefire, though he concedes a 25% chance of failure.
The summit involves high-level delegations from both nations, including security and diplomatic officials. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is excluded from the talks despite his protests that agreements made without Kyiv would be illegitimate.
The meeting occurs on August 15, 2025, at a U.S. military base near Anchorage, Alaska. This location ensures security while accommodating the leaders’ schedules. The talks follow Trump’s expired August 7 deadline for Russia to agree to a ceasefire or face sanctions.
Trump seeks to fulfill a campaign promise to end the war and bolster his image as a global peacemaker. Putin aims to secure recognition of Russian territorial gains in Ukraine (Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia) and prevent Ukraine from joining NATO.
Discussions will begin with a private Trump-Putin session (with translators), followed by broader delegation talks. Trump has threatened “very severe consequences” if Putin appears unserious about peace, though specifics remain undisclosed.
European leaders worry Trump may pressure Ukraine into territorial concessions. Zelensky has rejected any land swaps, warning that ceding the Donbas region would enable future Russian aggression. Putin remains steadfast, demanding Ukrainian demilitarization.
Post-summit, Trump plans to brief Zelensky and propose trilateral talks. However, Moscow historically resists direct negotiations with Kyiv until advanced stages. Analysts caution that Putin’s core goal—Ukrainian “neutralization”—leaves little room for compromise.