Alaska Summit Welcomes Putin

A high profile Alaska meeting signals a warmer tone toward Moscow while Kyiv and Western allies watch closely.

Trump Rolls Out Red Carpet for Putin in Alaska Summit

At Elmendorf Air Force Base in Alaska, President Trump welcomed Vladimir Putin with a formal red carpet, a guard of honour, and a pair of military flyovers by F-22s and a B-2 bomber. The two leaders posed for photos and left in Trump’s limousine after a brief exchange, marking a spectacle that put Putin back at the center of Western diplomacy.

Reactions abroad were swift: Moscow celebrated the display as a restoration of influence; Kyiv and Western officials voiced dismay, citing concerns about Ukraine's future and the conditions of peace talks. Ukrainian officials on background described the mood as tense and questioned the US approach, warning that Ukrainian voices could be sidelined in any follow-up negotiations.

The scene tests Western unity and raises questions about how much weight the United States places on optics versus concrete commitments. A warmer tone toward Moscow risks undercutting sanctions momentum and fragile negotiations over Ukraine’s future. At home, the dynamic exposes political fault lines with voters and allies watching closely how far the administration will go to balance alliance expectations with its own political aims.

Highlights

How leaders choose to act after the optics will define the next phase of the conflict.