Russian President Vladimir Putin broke his silence just one day before his highly anticipated summit with U.S. President Donald Trump — and he did it with a single, loaded word that has the world watching.
Speaking at the Kremlin, Putin praised the Trump administration’s “energetic” efforts to end the war in Ukraine, hinting that the Alaska meeting could open the door to a historic nuclear arms agreement between Washington and Moscow.
“The current American administration is making… quite energetic and sincere efforts to stop the hostilities,” Putin said, signaling a rare moment of diplomatic optimism.
The two leaders are set to meet privately, with only translators present, before continuing over a working lunch. Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov confirmed that the agenda will focus on Ukraine, trade, and potential nuclear arms control deals.
But the stakes could not be higher. The New START treaty, the last remaining arms reduction pact between the U.S. and Russia, is set to expire in February 2026. Tensions escalated further after Trump disclosed that he had positioned two nuclear submarines near Russia in response to threatening remarks from Russian official Dmitry Medvedev.
European leaders have been scrambling to influence Trump ahead of the talks, worried that Ukraine could be pressured into concessions without their involvement. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has vowed not to cede any territory, warning that abandoning Donbas could “start a third war.”
With geopolitical tensions at a boiling point, Friday’s summit in Alaska could redefine U.S.-Russia relations — or spark a new wave of global conflict.
Follow this developing story for live updates as Trump and Putin face off in Alaska.