Translated with AI
US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a joint press conference on Friday following their talks at Elmendorf-Richardson Air Force Base in Anchorage, Alaska. This is the first in-person meeting between the two leaders since the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine.
Before the press conference, the heads of state held private talks in a three-on-three format, which lasted over two and a half hours. Participating on the Russian side were Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Presidential Aide Yuri Ushakov, while on the American side were Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Special Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff.
The meeting took place under heightened security. Four F-22 fighter jets were deployed at the airfield, a red carpet was rolled out, and a stage with the inscription "Alaska 2025" was set up. The leaders arrived almost simultaneously: the Russian president's Il-96 aircraft landed shortly after Air Force One, which carried the US president. After a brief greeting and a handshake, Trump and Putin left the airfield in the same car.
During the stay in Alaska, rallies by both supporters and opponents of the talks took place near the base. Democratic Congressman James McGovern called the meeting a "disgrace," declaring that the American authorities should have "arrested Putin, not hosted him."
The White House released photos of the leaders' meeting, accompanied by the slogan "Pursuing Peace." The Trump administration called the talks "historic."
During the press conference, the leaders are expected to announce the results of the talks, including the parties' positions on the ceasefire in Ukraine and possible agreements on international security.
