The high-stakes meeting between President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin is now underway in Alaska, with the two leaders set to discuss a path towards brokering a ceasefire in the Ukraine-Russia war after more than three years of fighting.
After they both landed in Anchorage, Trump and Putin smiled and shook hands as they greeted each other on a tarmac in what marked their first public encounter since 2019. Both men then made a highly unusual move for leaders whose countries are widely viewed as adversaries: they both got in the backseat of Trump’s armored presidential limousine—with no staff or translators present—to reach the meeting space.
Inside the meeting room, the two leaders were seated alongside members of their respective inner circles in front of a blue backdrop that had the words “Pursuing Peace” printed on it. Putin looked visibly uncomfortable as reporters shouted questions before the meeting, appearing to shrug and make faces before shouting back inaudible remarks.
The summit could determine the trajectory of the war and pave the way for future negotiations between Trump, Putin, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who warned that he’s counting on “a strong position from America.” Trump has warned Putin of “very severe consequences” if a ceasefire is not reached and said he’s prepared to “walk away” from the talks if they do not go well.
The negotiations were originally planned as a one-on-one meeting between Trump and his Russian counterpart, but were changed at the last minute to include Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, and two of Putin’s aides, according to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, turning the talks into a three-on-three format that could allow for greater clarity on what happened during the meeting as both sides offer their own narratives.
Read More: Why Trump’s Summit in Alaska Cannot End Putin’s War in Ukraine
Speaking with reporters aboard Air Force One as he flew to Alaska, Trump said that a potential agreement with Russia was not “set in stone” and that territorial swaps with Ukraine would be “discussed” during the meeting.
“I want to see a ceasefire rapidly,” he said. “I don’t know if it’s going to be today. But I’m not going to be happy if it’s not today.”
Afterwards, Trump and Putin are both expected to participate to in a press conference, one that Zelensky and European leaders are sure to be closely monitoring. Fox News host Sean Hannity is also set to interview Trump about the negotiations.
Just before Trump and Putin arrived in Alaska, Zelensky said in a video statement posted on social media that Russian military strikes were continuing throughout Ukraine on Friday, and called for a follow-up meeting in the future with all three leaders. “On the day of negotiations, the Russians are killing as well,” he said. “And that speaks volumes.”
Read More: Zelensky on Trump, Putin, and the Endgame in Ukraine
The Trump Administration has characterized the meeting as a “listening exercise” for Trump to better understand Putin’s conditions for ending the war in Ukraine.
Before landing in Alaska, Trump suggested renewed economic engagement between the U.S. and Russia could be on the horizon should peace negotiations yield tangible results.“I noticed he’s bringing a lot of business people from Russia, and that’s good,” Trump said. “I like that because they want to do business, but they’re not doing business until we get the war settled.”
Russia found itself estranged from much of the global economy following its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, as sweeping sanctions and diplomatic pressure from the U.S., Europe, and allied nations have left Moscow largely isolated from major markets and financial systems.
Trump’s suggestion of easing economic restrictions has drawn sharp criticism from European allies, who warn that any premature normalization could undermine the unified Western stance on sanctions and harm Ukraine’s position in ongoing negotiations.
Some analysts and Congressional Republicans, including Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania and Don Bacon of Nebraska, have also warned that such a move risks rewarding Putin’s invasion by effectively legitimizing Russia’s territorial gains and military aggression.
When asked by TIME in the Oval Office on Thursday whether his offering incentives to Russia to bring about peace might inadvertently reward Putin for his invasion of Ukraine, Trump responded, “I don’t see it as a reward.”
The summit on Friday, which Trump himself referred to as “high stakes,” marks the first face-to-face meeting between the two Presidents since 2019. Its outcome will be closely watched for any sign that the long-standing conflict may finally begin moving toward resolution. The talks will give Putin a chance to pitch his conditions for peace. The Kremlin has expressed its desire for Ukraine to hand over swaths of its territory—particularly areas in the south and east, which Putin’s army has failed to fully occupy.
Trump on Friday suggested he would not negotiate on behalf of Ukraine, particularly over whether to engage in territorial swaps with Russia. Zelensky has repeatedly said he is not willing to cede any territory to Russia, insisting that such a move would “gift their land to the occupier.” European leaders have warned that giving Russia land could embolden it to invade other countries.
“We are counting on America,” Zelensky said in a social media post on Friday. “The key thing is that this meeting should open up a real path toward a just peace and a substantive discussion between leaders in a trilateral format—Ukraine, the United States, and the Russian side. It is time to end the war, and the necessary steps must be taken by Russia.”
The summit will also give Putin the chance to appeal to Trump’s business interests. Russia’s Finance Minister Anton Siluanov and Kirill Dmitriev, a senior economic negotiator and head of Russia’s sovereign wealth fund, are among those who accompanied Putin to Alaska.
Read More: The Secret White House Backchannel That Paved the Way For Trump’s Summit With Putin
Asked if he would be discussing business opportunities with Russia during the meeting, Trump said: “If we make progress, I would discuss it, because that’s one of the things that they would like; they’d like to get a piece of what I built in terms of the economy.”
It’s unclear what kind of business deals Trump could use as leverage to resolve the war, but the President has previously threatened “severe consequences” if Putin doesn’t agree to end the conflict, including possible secondary sanctions on countries importing Russian oil and gas.
Trump told reporters that he believes “something” will come of the summit in Alaska and praised his relationship with Putin, whose invasion of Ukraine has resulted in tens of thousands of civilians killed and millions displaced.
“Look, he’s a smart guy. Been doing it for a long time, but so have I. I’ve been doing it for a long time, and here we are: We’re President[s],” Trump said on his way to the summit. “We get along. There’s a good respect level on both sides and I think something’s going to come of it.”