Russia-Ukraine peace talks: Trump to meet Putin in Alaska next week to negotiate ceasefire

US President Donald Trump confirmed on Friday that he will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on August 15, 2025, to negotiate a potential end to the ongoing war in Ukraine. Trump made the announcement via a post on Truth Social, stating, “The highly anticipated meeting between myself, as President of the United States of America, and President Vladimir Putin, of Russia, will take place next Friday, August 15, 2025, in the Great State of Alaska.”

The Kremlin confirmed the meeting through aide Yury Ushakov, according to Russian news agency TASS. This announcement follows Trump’s earlier statement that the parties, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, were nearing a ceasefire agreement. Trump suggested that the deal might require Ukraine to relinquish significant territories, hinting at a potential land swap. "There’ll be some swapping of territories to the betterment of both," Trump said while addressing reporters at the White House.

The meeting will be Trump’s first face-to-face encounter with Putin since his return to the presidency, and it comes just hours after Trump unveiled a peace framework for Armenia and Azerbaijan. His push for global peace agreements has been a central aspect of his current administration's foreign policy.

Zelenskyy addressed the nation later on Friday, emphasising that a ceasefire was within reach, provided enough pressure was applied on Russia. He also highlighted his ongoing communication with the United States.

The strategic choice of Alaska as the meeting location underscores the symbolic importance of the talks, given its proximity to both the United States and Russia. Putin’s visit will also mark his first to the United States in a decade, with his last trip occurring in September 2015 for the UN General Assembly.

The Kremlin added that Putin had informed Chinese President Xi Jinping about his upcoming meeting with US envoy Steve Witkoff. Xi voiced support for a long-term solution to the Ukraine conflict. Putin is also scheduled to visit China next month, amid growing US accusations that China, North Korea, and Iran are backing Russia’s war efforts.

In a related development, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also had a conversation with Putin about the latest developments in Ukraine. This call came just days after President Trump imposed a 25% tariff on Indian goods over imports of Russian oil, aiming to cut off Russia’s war funding.