Trump heads to Alaska for high-stakes meeting with Putin on Ukraine War

WASHINGTON: U.S. President Donald Trump has flown from Joint Base Andrews in Maryland to Alaska for a high-stakes meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The talks come at a critical stage in the Ukraine war, with Trump warning of “serious consequences” if Putin refuses to engage in peace negotiations.

A senior U.S. official told reporters that Trump is ready to walk out of the talks if Russia shows no genuine commitment to ending the conflict.

Speaking to the media before his departure, Trump said, “I’m not doing this for myself. I want to focus on my country, but if we can save lives through dialogue, we must try.” He also warned that Russia could face “very tough” economic sanctions if the war continues, though he did not give details.

Trump stressed that the decision ultimately rests with Ukraine, adding, “I believe they will make the wise choice.”

The summit will begin with a one-on-one meeting between Trump and Putin, attended only by translators. The U.S. delegation includes Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bassant, Commerce Secretary Howard Lytton, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. Russia’s delegation features Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Defense Minister Andrey Belovov, and economic negotiator Dmitry Kirilla.

Notably, Ukraine has no representation at the summit despite repeated requests from Kyiv and its European allies. Trump hinted that future talks could include Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a three-way format.

The Alaska summit could mark a turning point in the Ukraine war — or deepen the current deadlock. The world now watches to see whether diplomacy can prevail or if the fighting will continue.

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