President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are set to meet in Anchorage, Alaska, on Friday for a high-stakes summit aimed at seeking a ceasefire in the Russia-Ukraine war.
One person who won’t be at the meeting is Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Trump said Thursday that he hopes this first meeting will lead to a second one that includes Zelenskyy — and possibly European leaders.
“I think it’s going to be a good meeting, but the more important meeting will be the second one,” Trump said.
Overnight Attacks on Ukraine
On Friday morning, Ukraine’s Air Force reported that Russia launched two ballistic missiles and 97 drones overnight. The drones hit areas in Kharkiv, Sumy, Donetsk, and Chernihiv regions. The missiles were fired at Kharkiv and Chernihiv.
Ukraine’s defenses shot down 63 of the drones, while Russia claimed it destroyed 53 Ukrainian drones over land and sea.
Putin’s Route to Alaska
On his way to Alaska, Putin stopped in Magadan, a port city in Russia’s far east, to meet with the regional governor before continuing his journey.
U.S. Push for Ceasefire
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said preparations for the summit were moving quickly due to its short notice. He stressed that a ceasefire is “critical” to allow deeper talks about security and territorial disputes.
“We want peace. We’ll do everything we can to help achieve it, but ultimately it’s up to Ukraine and Russia,” Rubio said.
Tensions in Ukraine on Summit Eve
Just after midnight in Kyiv, air raid sirens went off. Drones were also spotted over the Poltava and Dnipro regions.
Zelenskyy, who is not part of Friday’s talks, warned that any decisions made without Ukraine’s input will be “stillborn.” He insists that Ukraine must decide on territorial issues and that no deal should happen without strong security guarantees.
Possible Peace or Political Trap?
Some analysts believe the summit could help move closer to a ceasefire. Others see it as a chance for Putin to influence Trump and avoid tougher U.S. sanctions.
Trump’s Outlook
Trump said he believes both Putin and Zelenskyy want peace. Still, he emphasized that the real breakthrough will come when all three leaders — and maybe European officials — meet together.
