Trump, Putin head to Alaska for high-stakes Ukraine ceasefire talks

New Delhi, Aug 15: As we report, the U.S. President Donald Trump is travelling to Alaska on his Air Force One plane for a high-profile summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin aimed at negotiating a potential ceasefire in Ukraine, the deadliest conflict in Europe since the Second World War. The talks, set to begin at a Cold War-era air force base at 1900 GMT or on Friday (which is around 12.30 am on Saturday that media is saying will be further delayed), are expected to focus on ending the 3½-year-old war, which has claimed tens of thousands of lives on both sides, international media reported who are accompanying Trump on his Air force one plane. BBC says that Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov tells state TV correspondent Pavel Zarubin that Trump will meet Putin at the steps of the Russian president’s aircraft upon his arrival in Alaska.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, excluded from the discussions, has reiterated that any decisions made without Kyiv’s participation would hold no legitimacy, reports Reuters.

He has continued to push for security guarantees backed by Washington, while warning against any arrangement that would effectively freeze the conflict or formalise Russian control over Ukrainian territory.

Both leaders enter the talks seeking strategic gains. For Trump, a ceasefire agreement could bolster his credentials as an international dealmaker and strengthen his image as a peacemaker. For Putin, the meeting marks a symbolic victory, signalling that Western efforts to isolate Russia have faltered and that Moscow remains a key player in global diplomacy.

Reuters quoting sources suggest Moscow may be open to a compromise, potentially including a freeze along current front lines, restrictions on NATO expansion, and partial lifting of Western sanctions. However, Russia has so far insisted on stringent conditions for a comprehensive ceasefire, with disagreements over verification measures and the scope of the truce.

In the lead-up to the summit, Putin made public appearances in Russia’s Far East, visiting industrial facilities and highlighting efforts to reduce reliance on Western imports, reports news agency. Meanwhile, senior U.S. defence officials, including the Secretary of Defence and top NATO commanders, are in Alaska to provide strategic and military input during the negotiations. The outcome of the Trump-Putin meeting could shape the next phase of the conflict, but uncertainty remains over whether it will deliver substantive progress or merely mark a pause in the fighting.