Trump-Putin Summit Live: Leaders Head to Alaska for Russia-Ukraine Talks

An L-shaped red carpet with fighter aircraft lined up alongside awaits the arrival of Putin and Trump in Anchorage

On the runway at Elmendorf Air Base, everything is ready for US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin to start their meeting.

An L-shaped red carpet leads the leaders to a stage that says "ALASKA 2025."
A mountain covered in clouds completes the picture.
The red carpet has four F-22 Raptor fighter jets lined up next to it, which is probably the most eye-catching thing about it.

 
One of the jobs of the aircraft units at Elmendorf is to stop Russian planes that try to fly into American airspace.

The Russian envoy to the United States expects "gradual movement" from negotiations rather than a breakthrough

Alexander Darchiev, the Russian ambassador to the United States, expects a pleasant conclusion but no breakthrough from the Trump-Putin summit, according to Russian state media RIA Novosti.

Instead, Moscow anticipates "constant and gradual movement," Darchiev told RIA.

Darchiev told RIA that Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Donald Trump would "discuss the entire agenda" but did not elaborate.

Putin's red carpet visit will be "hard to stomach," a European ambassador said

A European ambassador said that Russian President Vladimir Putin's red carpet entrance in Alaska will be "hard to stomach" as Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues.

"Given the horrors Putin's forces are inflicting on Ukraine daily, that kind of treatment will be hard to stomach," a diplomat told reporters Friday.

US President Donald Trump, left, and Russian President Vladimir Putin are seen before a meeting in Helsinki on July 16, 2018

Trump will no longer meet with Putin one-on-one, the White House claims

According to the White House, the planned one-on-one meeting between Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin would now include both men's aides.

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt informed reporters aboard Air Force One that Trump would now be joined by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff for the bilateral portion of the talks.
Leavitt stated earlier this week that the leaders would meet one-on-one, but it was unclear why those arrangements had changed.

Read More: Powerball Winner Myths Busted: What You Really Need to Know

 
Following the bilateral section of the summit, the delegations will gather for lunch. Rubio, Witkoff, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Chief of Staff Susie Wiles are all anticipated to attend.