Countdown to the “Trump-Putin Summit”: Trump Departs for Alaska, Putin to Visit Far East Before Meeting

On August 15 (Beijing time), the White House announced that U.S. President Donald Trump had departed Washington early in the morning for Anchorage, Alaska, to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the highly anticipated “Trump-Putin Summit.” According to the Russian side, before the meeting, Putin will first visit Magadan in Russia’s Far East for an inspection tour.

Trump to Offer Highest-Level Welcome

According to NBC, the meeting will take place at the Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage. Trump is set to personally greet Putin at the venue and has arranged for a red carpet to be rolled out at the military base as a gesture of the highest diplomatic courtesy.

The White House schedule details:

• Departure: 6:45 a.m. Washington time on August 15 (6:45 p.m. Beijing time) — Trump leaves the White House for Anchorage
• Meeting: 11:00 a.m. local time (3:00 a.m. Beijing time, August 16) — Trump and Putin participate in bilateral events
• Departure from Anchorage: 5:45 p.m. local time (9:45 a.m. Beijing time, August 16)

Core Agenda: Ukraine Crisis

Russian Presidential Aide Yuri Ushakov stated earlier that the two leaders will first hold a one-on-one meeting, followed by expanded talks between the delegations, with the main focus on resolving the Ukraine crisis.

Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that on August 15, Putin will first inspect industrial production in Magadan, calling it a “comprehensive inspection” of the region. He emphasized that the president never misses an opportunity to address regional affairs during official trips. After the inspection, Putin will travel to Alaska to address Russia-U.S. relations.

Russia: No Pre-Meeting Predictions

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on August 14 that Moscow will not speculate on the outcome of the summit before it begins. Lavrov stressed that Russia’s position is clear and will be presented to the U.S. with solid arguments.

He added that during U.S. Special Envoy for Middle East Affairs Amos Hochstein’s recent visit to Russia, both sides had made substantial progress, and Russia hopes to continue this “very constructive dialogue” during the summit.

Lavrov and Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov have already arrived in Anchorage for the meeting. As both leaders’ schedules draw closer, the world is watching this high-stakes dialogue that could have a significant impact on global affairs.