The choice of the location ‘does make sense,’ said Russian Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov.
U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are set to meet on Friday in Alaska, marking the first visit by a Russian president to the United States since 2015, reports 24brussels.
Russian Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov stated that the location is logical, emphasizing that the two nations share a close border. “It does make sense if our delegation simply crosses the Bering Strait and if such an important and expected meeting between the two leaders takes place specifically in Alaska,” Ushakov mentioned.
Alaska, the largest U.S. state by area, has historical ties to Russia, originally part of the Russian Empire before being sold to the United States in 1867 for $7.2 million due to financial difficulties. The Bering Strait, which separates Alaska from Russia, includes islands that lie just four kilometers apart.
Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy highlighted the state’s strategic significance at the crossroads of North America and Asia, with the Arctic to the north and the Pacific to the south. He asserted that Alaska plays a “vital role” in U.S. national defense and energy security, suggesting that discussions of global importance should occur there. Putin’s visit represents a historic moment, as he will be the first Russian president to visit Alaska.
Ushakov indicated that discussions in Alaska will focus on achieving a sustainable resolution to the Ukraine crisis. Earlier on Friday, Trump discussed potential security arrangements that might involve “some swapping of territories.”
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that resolving the Russia-Ukraine conflict necessitates a ceasefire and addressing territorial issues, with the expectation that both sides must compromise. Analysts believe alleviating the economic pressures from Western sanctions is also a significant concern for Russia, which hopes to enhance cooperation with the U.S. to stimulate its economy.
Ushakov noted that Russian and U.S. economic interests converge in Alaska and the Arctic, creating prospects for collaboration on large-scale mutually beneficial projects. The region is rich in resources like oil, natural gas, and gold, alongside strategic shipping routes in the Arctic.
Putin’s investment chief, Kirill Dmitriev, has called for collaborative efforts between Russia and the U.S. on environmental issues, infrastructure, and energy development in the Arctic and beyond.
Regarding Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s potential involvement, a senior U.S. official mentioned that his participation is “absolutely” possible, although nothing has been confirmed. Trump indicated that a meeting between Russian and Ukrainian leaders is not a precondition for his discussions with Putin, while Putin expressed openness to a meeting with Zelensky but highlighted the lack of favorable conditions for such talks.
Zelensky has firmly rejected any peace agreements made without Ukraine’s involvement, stating that any decisions made against Ukraine are fundamentally flawed. “Any decisions made against us, any decisions made without Ukraine, are at the same time decisions against peace,” he affirmed, adding that these “dead decisions” will not be viable.
