White House confirms Trump-Putin summit in Anchorage, calling it ‘listening exercise’

WASHINGTON — President Trump will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday in Anchorage, Alaska, for what White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt billed as a “listening exercise.”

“Only one party that is involved in the war is going to be present,” Leavitt told reporters Tuesday, “and so this is for the president to go and get a better understanding of how we can hopefully bring this war to an end.”

Switzerland, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates had been among the speculated locations for the closely watched summit, the first sit-down between Putin and an American president since the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

President Trump at a White House press conference. — Switzerland, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates were floated for the long-awaited meeting between President Trump and Vladimir Putin, but Anchorage, Alaska, was ultimately chosen for the one-on-one conversation. Will Oliver – Pool via CNP / MEGA

“There were many sites discussed, but of course, Alaska is a state within the United States of America, so the president is very honored,” Leavitt said.

A venue for the meeting has not been made public, but Anchorage — a city of around 300,000 — is already experiencing an influx of officials and reporters seeking hotel rooms and other amenities to cover the high-level talks.

President Putin at a meeting in Moscow. — “There were many sites discussed, but of course, Alaska is a state within the United States of America, so the president is very honored,” press secretary Karoline Leavitt said. via REUTERS

Russian state media have speculated the meeting could take place at a military base, or at the Alyeska resort south of downtown Anchorage in the Girdwood neighborhood.

But reservations are hard to come by on such short notice and the US team is racing to provide the Russian delegation with credentials — as well as arranging adequate security for Trump without the typical weeks or months of lead time.

The Kremlin also extended an invitation for Trump to cross into Russian territory from Alaska, but Leavitt said the president would not leave US soil — despite Trump himself saying several times on Monday that he was “going to Russia.”

“Perhaps there are plans in the future to travel to Russia,” the press secretary said, but Friday’s meeting will take place entirely in Alaska.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will not be joining the talks, Leavitt reaffirmed, because Putin himself asked Trump to meet one-on-one.

“The president is agreeing to this meeting at the request of President Putin,” she said, noting that Trump plans to call Zelensky and other European leaders once the sitdown is done.