Overview

• Kremlin and TASS shared onboard footage showing Putin’s Il-96-300PU being escorted out of U.S. airspace by F-35As, with state media initially misidentifying the jets as F-22 Raptors.
• North American Aerospace Defense Command confirmed a Temporary Flight Restriction enforced by E-3 AWACS and fighter jets secured the airspace during the meeting without any violations.
• A B-2 Spirit bomber flyover accompanied by four F-35s marked a deliberate show of U.S. military deterrence as Trump greeted Putin on the tarmac.
• Despite high-visibility diplomatic theater and symbolic aircraft displays, the Aug. 15 summit produced no public ceasefire agreement on Ukraine.
• The Il-96-300PU “Flying Kremlin” serves as a secure airborne command post, blending operational control with political signaling at the heart of the encounter.