'I will walk if...': Trump–Putin Alaska summit on Ukraine war could last six hours, or end in five minutes
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "'I will walk if...': Trump–Putin Alaska summit on Ukraine war could last six hours, or end in five minutes")
US President Donald Trump boards Air Force One for Alaska summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin Photograph: (AFP)
The Alaska 2025 summit is taking place on Friday, even as the war continued on the ground, with Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky accusing Putin of continuing the killing.
The highly anticipated Alaska summit of US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin on the Ukraine war, officially dubbed '2025 Russia–US Summit in Anchorage,' could last up to seven hours, or end in just minutes. This is the vibe one gets based on official accounts and comments made by Trump. The Alaska 2025 summit is taking place on Friday (Aug 15) at Elmendorf‑Richardson base, even as the war continued on the ground, with Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky accusing Putin of continuing the killing.
Trump: Will walk if Putin meeting doesn't work out
Trump has hinted at the risk of talks collapsing, telling media accompanying him that "there is nothing set in stone." Trump said he would know within “the first two minutes, three minutes, four minutes or five minutes” whether the summit would succeed, and would end it quickly if not. Speaking to Fox News from Air Force One, Trump said he "would walk" if the summit does not go the way he wanted, which is an end to the killing and a ceasefire.
Land swaps, arms control, nuclear disarmament
While the ceasefire is the main expected focus, there could be some talk about land swaps, something Ukraine firmly poses.
There is a possibility that the two sides would talk about arms control and nuclear disarmament.
If the talks extend into six hours, they might come up with a framework for a Ukraine peace deal. Sources cited in global media talked of potential sanctions relief and broader economic incentives for Russia.
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Trump had said he would not "let Putin mess with me.”
There is a sense that the meeting might collapse in six or seven minutes if talks stall or veer off script, like it did when Zelensky met Trump at the White House earlier this year.
Ukraine's absence is a sore point
Western allies of Ukraine are deeply disappointed that it's not included in the talks, amid growing alarm over potential territorial compromises without Kyiv’s consent. Ukraine is feeling sidelined and Trump is being accused of appeasement, but the outcome will decide which of these arguments is correct.
Alaska summit: Stakes and symbolism
Being held at a US military base in Alaska, which was sold to the US by Russia in 19th century, the summit carries heavy symbolism and strategic weight.
If it becomes a marathon summit, the meeting might result in at least a roadmap for peace in Ukraine, and a firming up of terms for the ceasefire, and follow-up action agreements.
