Vladimir Putin Arrives in Alaska for Peace Talks with President Trump

Trump and Putin in Alaska, NBC News

ANCHORAGE — Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived Friday for closely watched talks with President Donald Trump, aimed at negotiating a possible ceasefire to the ongoing fratricidal war in Ukraine.

Putin’s plane touched down at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson around 10:50 a.m. local time, where Trump, who had arrived earlier, greeted him on the tarmac. Both leaders deplaned simultaneously, walking down separate red carpets to meet at their intersection. Smiling and exchanging words, they shook hands warmly, patting each other on the arm before moving to a platform to observe a military flyover.

The meeting comes as Orthodox Christians around the world pray for peace and a successful meeting. Molebens have been served across the Diocese of Sitka and Alaska of the OCA for several days, with the Joy of All Who Sorrow Russian Orthodox Cathedral (ROCOR), San Francisco, CA, reported serving a moleben for productive talks and an end to the conflict just this morning. 

Some were displeased with the Diocese of Sitka's call for prayer, viewing it as a "political statement." But Archbishop Alexei of Sitka, a highly revered shepherd of the American flock, pushed back on this, noting that praying for peace and one's political leaders was not a political statement, but a spiritual obligation. This is a hard saying for those who place political realities on par with spiritual ones — the latter always being superior for Orthodox Christians.

The summit — held without Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who was not invited — comes as European capitals monitor developments closely. Initially expected to be a one-on-one meeting, each leader will now be accompanied by two senior officials for the opening session, according to the White House.

Trump will be joined by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff, while a larger U.S. team — including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and White House chief of staff Susie Wiles — will participate in a working lunch with their Russian counterparts.

Following the talks and lunch, Trump and Putin are scheduled to hold a joint news conference summarizing the day’s discussions.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian state media earlier that the summit could last “at least” six to seven hours, underscoring both the complexity and high stakes of the negotiations.

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