U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are set to meet in Alaska next week for a high-profile summit focused on ending the war in Ukraine. The meeting, confirmed by both Washington and the Kremlin, is scheduled to take place on Friday, August 15, 2025, marking a crucial step toward a potential peace deal.

The choice of Alaska as the venue has sparked speculation about possible bold proposals — including a controversial “territorial swap” hinted at by Trump. Speaking at the White House, the U.S. president suggested that such an arrangement could be “to the betterment of both” Russia and Ukraine, though he did not give specifics.

Putin has also been busy ahead of the talks, holding calls with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Both leaders expressed support for U.S.-Russia dialogue, with Xi saying it could help promote a political settlement to the Ukraine crisis.

This will be the first face-to-face meeting between a sitting U.S. and Russian president since Joe Biden met Putin in Geneva in 2021 — and the first Trump-Putin encounter since the 2019 G20 summit in Japan.

Despite previous negotiations in Istanbul and other locations, the war — which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022 — continues to claim lives. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has insisted any agreement must involve direct talks with him, something Putin has resisted. Meanwhile, heavy fighting persists in eastern and southern Ukraine, forcing evacuations in several frontline villages.

Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov has hinted that Trump may visit Russia in the future, suggesting the Alaska summit could be the start of deeper engagement between the two leaders.