Russian President Vladimir Putin has been spotted travelling through sealed-off roads in a heavily armoured motorcade as he makes his way to today’s historic summit with Donald Trump in Alaska, with the US president warning the high-stakes meeting could be over “within minutes” if Russia refuses to compromise.
Footage shows a long line of black vehicles, including Putin’s Aurus Senat limousine, speeding along secured routes flanked by flashing police cars and what appears to be an ambulance, as the Russian leader heads to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage for the first face-to-face meeting between the two presidents since 2019.
The extraordinary security measures come as Trump and Putin prepare to discuss ending Russia’s war in Ukraine at 11:30am local time (7:00pm GMT) today, though the American president has dramatically lowered expectations, calling it merely a “feel-out meeting” after weeks of failed diplomatic efforts.
I am president, and he’s not going to mess around with me,” Trump told reporters at the White House yesterday. “If it’s a bad meeting, it’ll end very quickly, and if it’s a good meeting, we’re going to end up getting peace in the pretty near future.”
The president gave the summit just a one in four chance of success, marking a stark shift from his earlier confidence that he could end the war “within 24 hours” of taking office. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt described the encounter as a “listening exercise” rather than a negotiation session.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been deliberately excluded from the talks, prompting fierce criticism from European allies who issued a joint statement insisting “the path in Ukraine cannot be decided without Ukraine.” British, French, Italian, German, Polish, Finnish and European Commission leaders warned against any agreements made behind Kyiv’s back.
The choice of Alaska carries symbolic weight, with the territory having been sold by Russia to the United States in 1867 for $7.2 million (£5.5 million). The Kremlin has cited this historical land swap as precedent for potential territorial adjustments in Ukraine.
Security expert Bobby McDonald, a former US Secret Service agent, told local media: “This is a big deal that my guess is that there is something brewing in a positive fashion – otherwise, this wouldn’t be happening.
Putin faces significant risks travelling to the summit, as he remains under an International Criminal Court arrest warrant for alleged war crimes in Ukraine. The US Treasury Department temporarily eased sanctions on top Russian officials to allow them to travel and use bank cards in Alaska for the meeting.
The summit location at Elmendorf Air Force Base, America’s largest military installation in Alaska and a Cold War surveillance post for monitoring the Soviet Union, has been sealed off from protesters who have erected signs of solidarity with Ukraine in nearby Anchorage.
Trump revealed his frustration with Putin’s continued bombing of Ukrainian cities, recounting a conversation with First Lady Melania Trump: “I go home, I tell the first lady, ‘You know, I spoke to Vladimir today. We had a wonderful conversation.’ And she said, ‘Oh really? Another city was just hit.'”
The president has warned of “very severe consequences” if Putin refuses a ceasefire, including massive secondary sanctions and tariffs on Russian energy exports. However, he agreed to the Alaska meeting following discussions between Putin and Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff last week.
Russian pro-war bloggers have celebrated the summit as a diplomatic victory. Yury Podolyak wrote in Moskovsky Komsomolets: “The very fact that a summit being held in Alaska without Zelensky and his European sponsors is a substantial diplomatic victory.
The Kremlin confirmed Putin and Trump would meet alone with interpreters before a working lunch with aides. Neither leader is expected to venture into Anchorage, where demonstrations are planned.
Trump has hinted that any peace deal could involve “some swapping of territories to the betterment of both,” though he acknowledged the complexity: “We are looking to actually get some back and some swapping. It is complicated, actually nothing easy.”
Russia is expected to present sweeping demands including Ukraine’s withdrawal from regions like Donbas and Crimea, neutrality, and rejection of NATO membership – conditions that Ukraine and its Western allies have repeatedly rejected.
Zelensky remained defiant, stating yesterday: “Ukrainians will not give their land to occupiers.” The Ukrainian president has firmly rejected any territorial concessions, citing constitutional and security concerns.
The summit comes amid escalating military activity in eastern Ukraine, particularly in the Donetsk region, where Russian forces have launched rapid offensives. Military analysts warn that without coordinated Western pressure and Ukraine’s central involvement, any agreement risks becoming a victory for Putin without guarantees of lasting peace.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian expressed hope that “all those with a stake in the Russia-Ukraine war would play a role in the peace negotiations,” highlighting international concern over Ukraine’s exclusion from the talks.
Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy confirmed the state was “fully prepared for the historic meeting,” adding: “Alaska has always been a bridge between nations, and today we remain a gateway to diplomacy, commerce, and security.
The meeting marks Trump’s most significant foreign policy test since returning to office, with the president acknowledging he must consult European leaders and Zelensky before any final agreement, promising a potential three-way meeting to “divvy up” territory if initial talks prove successful.
Follow for more updates on Britannia Daily
