Overview

• The one-day summit at Joint Base Elmendorf–Richardson marks the first bilateral meeting between Trump and Putin since 2021
• President Trump has downplayed expectations by describing the encounter as a “chess game” and pressing for a ceasefire in Ukraine “today” while stressing that Kyiv would decide any territorial swaps
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy was not invited, prompting objections from EU and NATO leaders who insist on Ukraine’s participation and a precondition of a ceasefire
• Thousands of protesters, including Ukrainian diaspora activists and local residents, have lined Anchorage streets with Ukrainian flags to oppose any agreement made without Ukraine at the table
• Anchorage hotels and rental properties are at capacity, the Secret Service has secured rooftop perimeters, and residents report logistical and security strains from the influx of dignitaries and media