Russian President Vladimir Putin lauded what he called the White House’s “energetic and sincere efforts” to end the war in Ukraine, expressing hope that talks with U.S. President Donald Trump in Alaska could pave the way for extending the New START nuclear arms treaty. Speaking to top Russian officials Thursday, Putin said discussions with Washington were aimed at creating “long-term conditions of peace” between the two countries, in Europe, and globally.
The Alaska summit, set to begin Friday at a U.S. military base, will mark Putin’s first meeting with an American president on U.S. soil since 2007. The two leaders are expected to discuss Ukraine, nuclear arms control, and what the Kremlin described as “untapped potential” in U.S.-Russia economic relations. Putin’s foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov said the meeting will start one-on-one with translators before expanding to delegation talks and a working lunch. While the Kremlin confirmed plans for a joint news conference, Trump has not committed to it.
The talks come as Russia and Ukraine carried out a prisoner exchange of 84 detainees each, mediated by the UAE. They also follow renewed battlefield gains by Russia, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy acknowledging a 10-kilometre Russian advance near Dobropillia in the Donetsk region, forcing Ukraine to commit reserves.
The New START treaty, the last remaining pillar of U.S.-Russia nuclear arms control, limits deployed warheads to 1,550 on each side but is set to expire in February 2026. Russia has suspended participation without formally withdrawing. Both nations could exceed treaty limits if no new agreement is reached. Putin also noted the potential for renewed strategic arms talks despite a history of collapsed agreements, including the INF and Open Skies treaties.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio tempered expectations, warning that any comprehensive peace in Ukraine would require difficult conversations on security guarantees and territorial disputes. Trump, while threatening “severe consequences” if Putin is not serious about a ceasefire, has downplayed the likelihood of an immediate breakthrough at the summit.