Overview

• U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Putin’s delegation paid about $250,000 in cash to refuel three aircraft in Alaska because they could not use the American banking system.
• Rubio said all existing sanctions on Russia remain in force and continue to disrupt access to global finance, yet they have not altered the direction of the war.
• He argued that adding new penalties now could reduce the ability to bring Russian officials to the negotiating table.
• The Aug. 15 Alaska meeting between President Donald Trump and President Vladimir Putin lasted nearly three hours and concluded with no ceasefire or formal deal, according to Trump.
• Reporting indicates Russia presented a proposal at the meeting that Washington encouraged Kyiv to consider, followed by Trump’s discussions in Washington with Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders.