Putin‑Trump Summit: the timeline revealed

Alaska Summit: Trump‑Putin Talk in Remote U.S. State

When & Where

• Summit scheduled for August 15 in Alaska, announced on Trump’s Truth Social.
• Kremlin confirmed the location as “quite logical” and noted the meeting’s stakes for both nations.
• Trump hinted at a “territorial swap” that could benefit Ukraine and Russia, though details remain vague.

Why Alaska?

• Alaska, once sold to Washington in 1867, sits just across the Bering Strait from eastern Russia.
• Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov cited economic interests in the Arctic and potential large‑scale projects.
• Ushakov also hoped future presidents might meet on Russian soil, sending an invitation to Washington.
• Potential venues have expanded beyond previous guesses of UAE, Turkey, China or India, as the ICC arrest warrant for Putin limits available host countries.

Zelensky’s Role

• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky pushes for a three‑way summit, claiming a meeting with Putin is the only way forward.
• Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff proposed a trilateral meeting, yet Russian negotiators ruled out a direct Zelensky‑Putin meeting until the “final phase” of talks.
• Trump denied that a Putin‑Zelensky encounter is a prerequisite for the summit.

Last Encounter Timeline

• Trump‑Putin last sat together at the 2019 G20 summit in Japan.
• They have spoken by telephone several times since January.
• Previous presidential summits include Helsinki 2018 and a 2015 Obama‑UN dialogue in the U.S.

Negotiating Positions

• Russia rejects U.S., Ukraine and European calls for a ceasefire, demanding Ukraine “pull out” of four annexed regions, adopt neutrality, reject Western military aid and stay out of NATO.
• Kyiv insists on an immediate ceasefire, refuses recognition of Russian control, and supports diplomatic land return over battlefield victories.
• Ukraine seeks Western security guarantees, including foreign troops as peacekeepers to enforce a ceasefire.

Key Takeaway

The Alaska summit represents a bold diplomatic gesture amid persistent Russian aggression, with Trump, Putin, and potentially Zelensky navigating a complex path toward a long‑term peace settlement.