Image Credentials: Image Title: Trump and Putin Begin High-Stakes Meeting in Anchorage Source: (sora.chatgpt) Date: August 2025 Attribution: Created by AI-generated imagery (sora.chatgpt), it does not depict a real-world scene.
By Staff Writer | Open Chronicle with Agencies
First face-to-face encounter since the Ukraine invasion could last up to seven hours
Anchorage, Alaska — President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin began their highly anticipated meeting on Friday afternoon in Anchorage, marking the first in-person talks between U.S. and Russian leaders since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than three-and-a-half years ago.
The meeting, which started around 3:30 p.m. EST, was initially expected to run about four hours. However, the Kremlin indicated it could extend as long as seven hours, underscoring the gravity and scope of the discussions.
Ahead of the talks, Trump emphasized he would not agree to any territorial concessions regarding Ukraine. Still, speculation has mounted over whether Washington might explore a minerals deal with Moscow, a move that could bolster Russia’s economy and, by extension, its war effort. Trump told reporters Thursday he would “wait and see” how the discussions unfold before commenting on any potential mining arrangement.
Pursuing Peace. 🇺🇸🇷🇺 pic.twitter.com/d9VqKzpF6g
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) August 15, 2025
Both sides signaled the significance of the encounter by bringing top economic negotiators and senior officials. U.S. Secretary Scott Bessent and Commerce Secretary Scott Lutnick, along with Russian Direct Investment Fund CEO Kirill Dmitriev and Finance Minister Anton Siluanov, traveled as part of the delegations.
The White House confirmed that in addition to Trump, the U.S. team in Anchorage includes Secretary Pete Hegseth, Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Of these, only Witkoff and Rubio are expected to join Trump at the negotiating table. Putin, meanwhile, is joined by longtime Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Reports also suggest Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov flew in for the summit, though his role in the actual meeting remains uncertain.
Trump has pledged to call Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and key European leaders immediately following the discussions to brief them on outcomes. It is still unclear whether Trump and Putin will face the press together after their marathon session.
This meeting in Anchorage comes at a pivotal moment in the conflict, with global attention fixed on whether the two leaders can move closer to ending the war in Ukraine—or whether the day will conclude with little more than photo opportunities and diplomatic theater.
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