Overview

• Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrived at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson wearing a white sweater emblazoned with “CCCP,” the Soviet-era abbreviation for the USSR, drawing immediate social media attention.
• Observers interpret his attire as a trolling gesture that evokes Soviet nostalgia and hints at President Vladimir Putin’s imperial ambitions.
• The Kremlin says President Trump and President Putin will begin with a one-on-one meeting followed by delegation talks over a working breakfast and a joint press conference.
• Russia’s delegation includes senior figures under U.S. sanctions, and the U.S. Treasury Department temporarily eased some restrictions to allow their participation.
• European capitals and Ukraine have insisted that any peace deal must include Kyiv and warned against territorial concessions without Ukraine’s consent.