Putin obtains a red carpet in Alaska while Russian forces reach civilian targets in Ukraine
Anchorage – Russian President Vladimir Putin landed on American soil on Friday and set foot on a red carpet arranged by the Trump administration, greeted by an American president wishing to discuss the prospects for peace in Ukraine despite the Russian army bombing civilian targets throughout the day.
An American stealth bomber flew over the Elmendorf Air Force Base in Anchorage while Putin moved, and Trump offered him applause before the two men walked between American fighter planes at the “Beast”, the official American presidential vehicle. The two leaders went up together on the Reunion site.
The pump and the circumstances for the Russian leader actually ends his pariah status in Washington since he launched a large -scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, leading to the bloodiest conflict in Europe since the Second World War.
The top of the high issues intervenes as president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, condemned the Russian forces for hitting a civil market in Sumy a few hours before the discussions of Alaska. “The day of negotiations, the Russians also kill,” Zelensky said in a statement. “And that says a lot.”
Addressing journalists on the Air Force One on his way to Anchorage, Trump had suggested that he planned to take a more difficult line with Putin, threatening to walk if he did not see immediate progress.
“I want to see a cease-fire,” said Trump. “I don’t know if it’s going to be today, but I’m not going to be happy if this is not the case today.”
The two men had to meet privately, accompanied only with translators, before joining their help for a work lunch. But in flight, Trump’s plans have changed to include his Secretary of State and National Security Advisor Marco Rubio, as well as his special envoy to the conflict, Steve Witkoff.
The question of whether Putin is ready to accept an immediate cease-fire is far from clear, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs declaring this week that the objectives of the Kremlin War are “unchanged”. During last week, with the scheduled presidential summit, the Russian army launched an aggressive attempt at Ukrainian front band.
President Trump meets Russian President Vladimir Putin. On the right, Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
(Julia Demaoree Nikhinson / Associated Press)
Trump told journalists that Putin would face “economically serious” consequences if negotiations in anchorage fail to make progress towards peace. He said that only Ukraine could decide to sell the territory to Moscow. And he expressed his support for American security guarantees for Ukraine in any future peace agreement, as long as they are not membership of NATO for the besieged nation.
“Yes, it would be very serious,” said Trump. “Very severe.”
Putin brought several Russian business leaders with him from Moscow, according to the Kremlin, a sign that he hopes to start discussions on the normalization of relations with Washington. But Trump said that he would not discuss commercial opportunities before setting war.
It is a position that will relieve the allies in Europe who hope that Trump will approach Putin with a firm hand, after months of pressure on Zelensky to prepare to make concessions in Moscow.
Zelensky was not invited to negotiations in Alaska. But Trump said he hoped that his meeting on Friday would lead to “very soon” talks. The Ukrainian President has met the British Prime Minister in recent days and will meet French President Emmanuel Macron after the end of the Alaska summit.
Trump had declared in recent days that a peace agreement would include “exchange” of land, a perspective refused to kyiv. The Ukrainian Constitution prohibits territorial concessions without the support of a public referendum.
He seemed to soften this position on Friday.
“They will be discussed, but I have to let Ukraine make this decision,” said the president about land exchanges. “I am not here to negotiate Ukraine. I’m here to bring them to the table. “
Trump’s meeting with Putin is the first of its kind between an American and Russian president since 2021.
The two leaders should organize a press conference after their meetings, standing in front of American and Russian flags and a sign that reads “continues peace”.
