Washington DC (Rajeev Sharma): Washington and Moscow are preparing for a rare face-to-face encounter between their leaders, with U.S. President Donald Trump confirming he will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on August 15. The talks come at a moment of global intrigue, Trump is seeking a breakthrough to end the war in Ukraine while simultaneously escalating a trade dispute with India over its energy ties to Russia.
Trump revealed the meeting in a post on Truth Social, calling it “highly anticipated” and promising more details soon. The announcement followed remarks at the White House where the president suggested that a Ukraine peace settlement could involve territorial exchanges. “There’ll be some swapping of territories to the betterment of both,” he told reporters, without offering further explanation.
Moscow has also confirmed the plan, though there appears to be disagreement over the venue. Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov described it as “natural” to hold the meeting in Russia and said an invitation had already been extended to Trump. Still, indications suggest Alaska will remain the chosen site.
Ushakov outlined that the talks would focus on crafting “a long-term, peaceful resolution to the Ukrainian crisis,” acknowledging that the process would be both “challenging” and “demanding.”
The planned summit comes on the heels of Trump’s decision to impose a 25% tariff, later doubled to 50%, on Indian imports, citing frustration over New Delhi’s continued oil and gas purchases from Russia. The move drew attention for its sharp contrast with Washington’s own ongoing transactions with Moscow.
With the meeting now less than a week away, diplomats and analysts alike are watching closely to see whether the Alaska talks produce a genuine step toward ending the conflict in Ukraine or simply mark another chapter in the complex and often tense relationship between the United States and Russia.
