Russian Planes Are Already Landing in Alaska Ahead of Trump-Putin Summit

Russian officials and journalists began landing in Alaska late Thursday ahead of the summit between President Donald Trump and Russia’s Vladimir Putin to discuss ending the war in Ukraine. The state-owned Russian news service Sputnik posted footage of a custom Ilyushin Il-96 landing at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport. The head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, Kirill Dmitriev, posted a photo from Alaska with the caption, “Looking forward to tomorrow’s historic summit,” hours after labeling Alaska “sunny and beautiful.” Russian state-owned outlet RT also posted Russian Finance Minister’s Anton Siluanov’s first comments from America’s northernmost state and footage of journalists exiting the plane, suggesting the aircraft “hissed” as they exited. RT said Putin was expected to arrive last of all for the late-morning meeting. Friday’s summit will be the first time the two leaders have met in person since 2018, in Helsinki. On Thursday morning, Trump said he was “convinced” Putin was ready to negotiate. “He’s going to make a deal. I think he’s going to. I’m going to know very quickly,” Trump told The Brian Kilmeade Show. The president said he was prepared for a second meeting also including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and that “three different locations” were possible, including “staying in Alaska.”