President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are expected to hold their long-anticipated summit at a U.S. military base in Anchorage, Alaska, on Friday, according to a White House official.
The meeting at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson will be their first during Trump’s second term, as Trump seeks to bring an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine.
CNN first reported the meeting’s location, which Russians have touted for its historical significance: The United States purchased the territory from the Russian Empire 158 years ago.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the upcoming summit Tuesday as a “feel-out meeting,” saying it was “not a concession” to Putin. He added, “We’re going to know very early in that meeting whether this thing has any chance of success or not.”
Trump said Monday that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy “wasn’t a part of it” when he was asked whether Zelenskyy had been invited.
“I would say he could go, but he’s gone to a lot of meetings. You know, he’s been there for 3½ years — nothing happened,” Trump said.
Trump, Zelenskyy, Vice President JD Vance and European leaders are scheduled to convene virtually Wednesday, according to a European official with direct knowledge of the meetings.
Zelenskyy and Ukrainian officials have repeatedly said they will not forfeit territory that Russia illegally annexed.
Trump said last week that Ukraine and Russia would most likely be “swapping” parts of territory as part of a deal to end the war.
“It’s actually nothing easy. It’s very complicated,” Trump said at the time.
Trump repeatedly claimed on the campaign trail that he would end the war within the first 24 hours of his second term. At a presidential debate in September, he even said he could resolve the conflict “before I even become president.”
After he took office, Trump said that timeline was “an exaggeration.”
