U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin continued a high-stakes summit for a third hour on Friday, seeking a path to end the war in Ukraine, the deadliest European conflict in eight decades.
The meeting took place at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, with both leaders joined by senior foreign policy officials. A broader session was scheduled to follow.
Trump stated his primary objective was securing a ceasefire and obtaining a commitment from Putin to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to negotiate a resolution. Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022.
Earlier in the week, Trump said he would gauge Putin’s seriousness within minutes of their meeting and warned he might walk out if talks proved unproductive.
Zelenskiy, excluded from the summit, voiced concerns alongside European allies that Trump could agree to terms freezing the conflict and informally recognizing Russian control over about one-fifth of Ukraine. Speaking before departure, Trump said Ukraine would decide on any territorial matters. “I’m not here to negotiate for Ukraine, I’m here to get them at a table,” he told reporters.
Upon arrival, Trump greeted Putin on a red carpet. They shook hands and exchanged brief gestures before traveling together to the meeting site. Behind them, a backdrop displayed the words “Pursuing Peace.”
The U.S. delegation included Secretary of State Marco Rubio, special envoy Steve Witkoff, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Chief of Staff Susie Wiles. Russia was represented by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and presidential aide Yury Ushakov.
Trump expressed hope that a truce in the three-and-a-half-year war would not only stabilize the region but also bolster his standing as a global mediator. For Putin, the summit offered an opportunity to demonstrate Russia’s continued relevance in international diplomacy despite Western attempts at isolation.
Putin remains under an International Criminal Court arrest warrant for alleged war crimes, which Moscow rejects. Both Russia and Ukraine deny deliberately targeting civilians, though thousands of Ukrainian non-combatants have died.
A conservative estimate in May placed combined military and civilian casualties at 1.2 million. Trump, who previously claimed he could end the war in 24 hours, acknowledged on Thursday the complexity of achieving peace. He indicated that arranging a three-way meeting with Zelenskiy would be the next step if talks with Putin progressed.
Zelenskiy called for a “just peace” and renewed negotiations, while reporting continued Russian strikes, including a missile attack in Dnipropetrovsk that killed one person. He reiterated that Ukraine would not cede territory and sought U.S.-backed security guarantees.
Trump described Putin as experienced and “a smart guy” but warned of “economically severe” consequences if negotiations failed. Washington has discussed potential cooperation with Russia’s nuclear-powered icebreaker fleet for Alaskan gas projects, according to sources.
A Kremlin-linked source suggested Moscow might consider freezing the conflict along current front lines in exchange for assurances on NATO expansion and partial sanctions relief. NATO maintains that Ukraine’s future lies in the alliance.
Russia’s economy remains under strain, and Trump has threatened tariffs on buyers of Russian crude, particularly China and India. Putin has also indicated interest in negotiating a new nuclear arms control agreement to replace the last remaining pact due to expire in February.
Russia has stated willingness for a full ceasefire but insists on agreeing monitoring mechanisms. One possible compromise discussed was halting the air campaign while ground hostilities are addressed.
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