Trump greets Putin in Alaska for the meeting at the top of the war in Ukraine

Russian Vladimir Putin Landed in Alaska for high -bet conversations on Friday with president Donald Trumpwho seeks to negotiate to end the fire in the war of Russia against UkraineS

Trump met with Putin on the asphalt on the joint base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage shortly after the plane of the Russian leader, set at about 10:50 am local time, or 2:50 pm ET. Trump had arrived earlier.

Both men declared themselves at the same time and walked the respective red carpets to each other, meeting where these carpets intersect. Trump, who arrived there first, clapped as Putin approached.

They congratulated themselves on visible warmth, smiling and exchanging words and tapping their hands as they shook hands. They then went to a strap to watch the military aircraft.

The two leaders then entered Trump’s armored vehicle “The Beast” and left. They did not answer the calls of reporters before they left.

The conversations come when Europe – including Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenski, who was not invited – is looking with a breath.

State leaders will begin their meeting at the top around 11:30 am local time (15:30 ET) at the military base of Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska.

There will then be a working lunch for both delegations before the presidents have a joint press conference to summarize their conversations.

The press will undoubtedly be one of the most carefully watched events this year, revealing how close or far the end of the war in Ukraine is a conflict that has covered more than 3½ years.

“The president wants to exhaust all the options to try to bring this war to a calm resolution,” the White House said before the Alaska summit.

It remains to be seen whether these “options” will eventually be good or bad for Ukraine.

Not only is a bet – if Trump can persuade Putin to agree to one – but they are also the territorial integrity of Ukraine, the security of Europe, the economy of Russia and the geopolitical unions.

Zelenski, trumpIt will be upset when the conversations begin. Friday, The President commented X: “It’s time to end the war and the necessary steps must be taken by Russia. We rely on America.”

Both he and his European allies fear the US leader can capitulate The terms of a qualified Putin negotiator likely requests In order for Moscow to keep an occupied Ukrainian territory and cut candidates for membership in Ukraine of Ukraine, in exchange for the suspension of his military offensive.

When he heads to Alaska at Air Force One, Trump told reporters that “something will get from him (the meeting).” When asked about Russia’s continued attacks against Ukraine, the president said Putin “thinks it gives him strength in conversations, I think it hurts him,” in comments reported by Reuters.

Trump also insisted that Ukraine should decide on its territory and that security guarantees are “possible with Europe” without giving further details.

On Friday, the White House confirmed that the US delegation includes Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the Ministry of Finance and Trade Secretaries Scott Bensten and Howard Luni, CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Special Messenger Stephen Vitcof, as well as other senior US officials.

However, Moscow released more details about the summit early in Washington. Only this week did he confirm that presidents’ negotiations would be a meeting “one of one.”

The Kremlin sounded this opinion, stating that Trump and Putin would meet “in the format of the TET-A-TET” behind closed doors with translators in tow, “naturally”, according to Putin’s assistant for foreign affairs, Yuri Ushakov.

“Given that very important sensitive topics will be discussed, the list of participants in the negotiations is not big,” Ushakov added, in comments translated by NBC News.

Russia’s delegation only includes Several members of Putin’s internal circleWith the Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Lavrov, the Minister of Defense Andrei Belosov, the Minister of Finance Anton Siluanov and Kiril Dmitriev, the investment and commercial envoy of Russia, as well as Ushakov.

The presidential assistant commented that “it is obvious to everyone that the central theme will be the settlement of the Ukrainian crisis”, including “wider tasks for securing peace and security”, as well as urgent international and regional issues.

Signaling that Russia would strive to praise the economic benefits of rapprochement with the United States, Ushakov added that “the exchange of views is expected in terms of more bilateral cooperation, including in the commercial and economic fields”, noting that “this cooperation has a huge and unfortunate unused potential.”