Trump mentioned he’ll be meeting Putin in Alaska next week.

President Donald Trump announced that he’ll be meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin next Friday in Alaska. Earlier that day, he hinted at the terms of a potential peace deal aimed at ending the war in Ukraine, which might involve “some swapping of territories.” “The highly anticipated meeting between myself, as President of the United States of America, and President Vladimir Putin, of Russia, will take place next Friday, August 15, 2025, in the Great State of Alaska. Further details to follow,” Trump shared on Truth Social Friday evening. This announcement comes on the very day Trump had set as a deadline for Putin to either make peace or face serious economic consequences. It marks a significant moment in the relationship between the US president and his Russian counterpart, who hasn’t visited the US since 2015 and hasn’t met with Trump since 2018. US officials, including Trump, have briefed European leaders and Ukrainian officials about a plan proposed by Putin to end the war in Ukraine in exchange for substantial territorial concessions from Kyiv, according to Western officials who have been informed about the situation. The plan, which Putin presented to Trump’s foreign envoy Steve Witkoff during a meeting in Moscow on Wednesday, would require Ukraine to give up the eastern Donbas region—most of which is currently under Russian occupation—as well as Crimea, which Russia annexed illegally in 2014. While the plan would freeze current battle lines, many details remain unclear. This proposal has raised alarms among some European officials, who worry it might be Putin’s strategy to sidestep Trump’s threatened sanctions, which were set to take effect on Friday, while offering little in return. However, it seems this plan has spurred Trump to arrange a summit meeting with Putin. The Russian leader hasn’t been to the US in nearly a decade, last meeting with then-President Barack Obama at a UN General Assembly gathering in September 2015.In the last couple of days, there have been more discussions with European leaders, including Witkoff and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. On Friday, Witkoff connected with several European officials to share more details about the plan. However, it remains uncertain what this plan means for the regions of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson in Ukraine, where Russia still holds some territory, aside from the expectation that Russia will halt its offensive there. Ukrainian servicemen were seen firing a M777 howitzer at Russian positions along the frontline in Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia region on Thursday. Evgeniy Maloletka/AP captured this moment. It's also unclear how Putin’s proposal will address his other demands for ending the war, such as ensuring Ukraine never joins NATO or limiting its military size. During his talks, Witkoff has conveyed to European officials that Putin's proposal is a positive step forward, suggesting that a more comprehensive peace plan could be on the table once the fighting ceases. The United States is working to rally its allies around this plan, according to one source, but it’s still uncertain if that will come to fruition. There are growing concerns that if Russia gains control of Donetsk and Luhansk through a ceasefire agreement, it might just embolden them to launch further attacks on Ukraine in the future. “Officially recognizing territory taken by force without any repercussions could encourage more aggressive actions down the line,” remarked one European official who is familiar with the discussions. “It might motivate Russia to strike Ukraine again in a few years.” Trump, who has expressed frustration with Russia’s president for prolonging the conflict, appeared more hopeful about the possibility of a peace deal on Friday. He indicated that his main focus is on negotiating an end to the hostilities as quickly as possible.

NEWS