Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov confirmed Saturday that Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump will meet on Aug. 15 in the U.S. state of Alaska to discuss options for achieving lasting peace in Ukraine. Ushakov highlighted the logistical advantages of Alaska as the summit venue, citing its proximity to Russia across the Bering Strait. "The American side has just announced an agreement reached to arrange a meeting between the presidents of Russia and the U.S., Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump, on Aug. 15, Friday, in Alaska. Russia and the U.S. are close neighbors, sharing a common border. It seems quite logical for our delegation simply to fly across the Bering Strait and for the important and anticipated summit of leaders of these two countries to take place precisely in Alaska," he told reporters in Moscow. Trump earlier announced on Truth Social that he would meet Putin in Alaska on Aug. 15, marking their first in-person meeting since Trump returned to the White House in January. Ushakov noted that Alaska and the Arctic region are natural areas of shared interest for both nations, with the potential for large-scale bilateral projects. Still, he said, the focus will be on Ukraine. Preparations for the summit are already underway, with both sides committing to what Ushakov described as "a challenging process" of intense political and logistical coordination. The Kremlin said it expects the next presidential meeting after Alaska to take place in Russia, adding that an invitation has already been extended to Trump. — Agencies
