Russia unveils delegation, schedule for Putin-Trump Alaska meeting
Russian President Vladimir Putin's meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in Alaska will begin at 11:30 a.m. local time on Aug. 15 with a one-on-one conversation in the presence of interpreters, Putin's aide Yuri Ushakov said.
Trump's planned meeting with Putin in Alaska will be the first face-to-face meeting between the two leaders since the start of Trump's second term. The high-stakes summit is part of Washington's effort to help end the war in Ukraine.
The Russian delegation will include Ushakov, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Defense Minister Andrei Belousov, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov, and Russian Direct Investment Fund head Kirill Dmitriev, the advisor said.
Speaking to reporters on Aug. 14, Ushakov said the talks will take place at the U.S. Air Force's Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson and that the summit program has been finalized. The discussions will be followed by a working breakfast, and their duration will depend on how the conversation develops.
The negotiations in a wider format will follow a "five-on-five" structure. Ushakov said the U.S. side has finalized its delegation list but left it to Washington to announce. The Russian delegation is expected to depart for Moscow immediately after the meeting concludes.
The central topic of the summit will be a settlement of the war in Ukraine, though economic cooperation and global security will also be discussed, according to the aide. Ushakov said the Kremlin views it as symbolic that the meeting will take place "near the graves of Soviet pilots in Alaska."
Putin's advisor added that Russia sees untapped potential in U.S.-Russia trade and economic ties.
Trump has described the Alaska talks during an Aug. 11 press conference as a "feel-out" meeting in his efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war. He has said both Kyiv and Moscow would need to cede territory to reach a deal, a stance that has alarmed European capitals and Kyiv.
President Volodymyr Zelensky has been in close contact with European leaders ahead of the summit. On Aug. 13, Zelensky held a video call with Trump and European leaders, during which Trump pledged to make a ceasefire in Ukraine one of his priorities in talks with Putin.
A source cited by Axios said Trump told the leaders that he could not make final decisions on territorial issues but believed "land swaps" would likely be part of any peace agreement.
French President Emmanuel Macron, who took part in the conversation, said that the U.S. is prepared to offer Ukraine security guarantees once peace is established.
The coalition of European leaders, which also includes British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Merz, reaffirmed its readiness to provide such guarantees, including plans to deploy a reassurance force after hostilities cease.
