Trump and Putin begin bilateral meeting, declining to take questions
In a chaotic moment, reporters were rushed into and out of a room where Mr. Trump and Putin were beginning their bilateral meeting alongside top aides.
Again, Putin declined to answer reporters’ questions, including, “Will you agree to a ceasefire?” And, “Will you commit to not killing any more civilians?” Putin is very rarely subject to questions from foreign reporters.
Mr. Trump also declined to take questions.
Rubio, Witkoff and a translator were seated alongside Mr. Trump, while Russian minister of foreign affairs Sergey Lavrov, Russian policy adviser Yury Ushakova and a translator were seated alongside Putin.
Former U.S. ambassador to Russia details “extraordinary stagecraft” of Trump-Putin meeting
Speaking on the CBS News Special Report as Mr. Trump and Putin got into the Beast, former U.S. Ambassador to Russia and CBS News contributor John Sullivan compared the arrival ceremony with the last time Putin met with a U.S. president.
“I contrast it with the last meeting that Putin had with an American president, with President Biden in Geneva four years ago. The two presidents arrived at a home in Geneva, they shook hands on the front steps and went into a meeting with their secretary of state and Russian foreign minister,” Sullivan said. Sullivan was the ambassador in Moscow from 2020 to 2022.
“It was nothing like this spectacular scenery, with planes arriving, fighter jets flying overhead and the two presidents riding together in the limousine of the president of the United States,” he continued. “This really is an extraordinary stagecraft that the United States has put together for President Putin.”
Sullivan noted that other presidents have met with Russian and Soviet leaders on their own, highlighting Ronald Reagan’s meetings with Mikhail Gorbachev. He said Putin’s English is proficient enough for him to be able to talk to Mr. Trump without an interpreter.
“Putin’s English is much better than he lets on. He’s not as fluent in English as he is in German, he can converse with the German chancellor in flawless German,” Sullivan said. “His English isn’t quite as good, but he could have a conversation with the president in English that President Trump would understand.”
Trump and Putin greet each other, shaking hands on the tarmac ahead of talks
In a carefully choreographed moment, Mr. Trump descended the steps of Air Force One moments before Putin came down the steps of his plane, stepping onto U.S. soil for the first time in about a decade.
Both Mr. Trump and Putin walked down their respective red carpets, with Mr. Trump waiting for Putin at the end and clapping. Both Mr. Trump and Putin extended their hands and shook, patting each other on the arm and exchanging words as they smiled.
The two ascended the platform in front of the fighter jets where they shook hands again. Neither Mr. Trump nor Putin answered shouted questions from reporters. Other fighter jets flew overhead.
In an unusual moment, Putin joined Mr. Trump in his vehicle, the Beast, with seemingly no aides or interpreters with them. Putin smiled as the vehicle began to drive away.
Ukraine supporters rally near Trump-Putin meeting site
A small crowd of supporters gathered in Anchorage for a rally in solidarity with Ukraine ahead of the meeting between President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Demonstrators waved blue-and-yellow Ukrainian flags and held signs saying “Support Ukraine” and “No compromise.”
Trump: “I won’t be happy if I walk away without some form of a ceasefire”
In his interview with Fox News anchor Bret Baier on Air Force One, Mr. Trump said he is looking to come away from the meeting with an agreement to end the fighting in Ukraine.
“I won’t be happy if I walk away without some form of a ceasefire,” he said. “I say this, and I’ve said it from the beginning: This is really setting the table today. We are going to have another meeting if things work out, which will be very soon. Or we are not going to have any more meetings at all, maybe ever.”
Putin’s plane touches down in Alaska
Trump greeting top Alaska officials on Air Force One
Mr. Trump remained on Air Force One after touching down to exchange greetings with Republican Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan from Alaska, as well as Alaska’s GOP governor, Mike Dunleavy, a White House official said.
Murkowski and Mr. Trump have not always seen eye to eye, but her votes are critical for Senate Republicans. Dunleavy has been Alaska’s governor since 2018.
“Alaska is an ideal location for the Trump-Putin summit. Our state exudes all aspects of American strength— incredible military might, world-class energy reserves & our wealth of allies, many of whom are taking part in the major Arctic Edge military exercises this month in Alaska,” Sullivan wrote on X ahead of the meeting.
