CNN Politics White House prepares for Trump-Putin meeting in Alaska tomorrow By Adrienne Vogt and Maureen Chowdhury, CNN Updated 10:33 AM EDT, Thu August 14, 2025 See Putin's past meetings with US presidents

 CNN  Politics 

White House prepares for Trump-Putin meeting in Alaska tomorrow

By Adrienne Vogt and Maureen Chowdhury, CNN

Updated 10:33 AM EDT, Thu August 14, 2025

See Putin's past meetings with US presidents

02:15

What we're covering

• Trump-Putin meeting: The White House confirmed US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin will hold a joint news conference tomorrow after their highly anticipated meeting in Alaska.

• Trump’s warning: The US president has threatened Russia with “very severe consequences” if Putin doesn’t agree to end the war in Ukraine. Trump said if the summit goes well, a meeting between Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky could happen soon after.

• Praise from Putin: The US is making “energetic and sincere efforts” to stop the conflict in Ukraine, the Russian leader told his top officials today.

• What do you want to know? Send us your questions about Friday’s summit and CNN may answer them in upcoming coverage.

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analysis

13 Posts

1 New Update

5 min ago

Trump says Putin is "going to make a deal"

From CNN's Betsy Klein

US President Donald Trump said he believes Russian President Vladimir Putin is heading into Friday’s Alaska summit wanting to make a deal to end the war in Ukraine.

“I believe now he’s convinced that he’s going to make a deal. He’s going to make a deal. I think he’s going to. And we’re going to find out — I’m going to know very quickly,” Trump said during an appearance on Fox Radio’s “The Brian Kilmeade Show” Thursday morning.

The president kept expectations for the meeting high after White House officials earlier this week downplayed the face-to-face session as a “listening exercise.”

Trump also suggested his goal is to move toward a trilateral meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, suggesting “three different locations” are on the table — including the possibility of “staying in Alaska.”

Trump offered a key caveat, however: “If it’s a bad meeting, I’m not calling anybody — I’m going home. … But if it’s a good meeting, I’m going to call President Zelensky and the European leaders.”

Pressed on whether he’d offer economic incentives to Russia during the meeting, Trump demurred.

“Well, I’d rather not say because I don’t want to play my hand in public, but whatever my hand is, economic incentives — and disincentives maybe — are more important, in a way, but incentives economically, you know,” he said.

13 min ago

There are no plans to sign documents after Trump-Putin summit, Kremlin says

From CNN’s Anna Chernova

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said no documents are expected to be signed during the Russia-US summit in Alaska, Russian state media reported today.

Although Peskov said it would be a “mistake” to predict the outcome of tomorrow’s talks, he stressed that there are no plans for Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump to formalize any agreements.

“President Putin and President Trump are ready to talk and will discuss the most difficult issues,” he added.

31 min ago

EXCLUSIVE: Kremlin negotiator says Alaska meeting is a chance to reset US-Russia relations if it "goes well"

From CNN’s Fred Pleitgen in Moscow

The Kremlin’s top economic envoy Kirill Dmitriev told CNN that tomorrow’s summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump in Alaska is a chance to reset US-Russia relations “if the meeting goes well.”

“I think dialogue is very important and I think it’s a very positive meeting for the world because during (the) Biden administration, no dialogue was happening, so I think it’s very important to hear (the) Russian position directly,” Dmitriev said today when asked what Russia was hoping to get out of the meeting.

Dmitriev, who is the CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, has been a key player in Russia’s dialogue with the Trump administration. He will be part of the Kremlin’s delegation in Alaska, suggesting that potential economic dealmaking between Washington and Moscow will also be on the agenda.

“There are lots of misunderstandings, misinformation about the Russian position,” Dmitriev added. “It’s also a chance to sort of reset, if the meeting goes well, US-Russia relations.”

35 min ago

Analysis: Joint Trump-Putin news conference means Trump might not have the last word on high-stakes summit

Analysis from CNN's Jeff Zeleny

In this July 2018 photo, President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin leave a press conference after their meeting at the Presidential Palace in Helsinki, Finland.

In this July 2018 photo, President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin leave their joint press conference at the Presidential Palace in Helsinki, Finland. Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP/File

Getting the last word can be important — in life and at presidential summits — and now there is no guarantee US President Donald Trump will have it after tomorrow’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The Kremlin may have already scored an early point over the White House by announcing a joint news conference between the two leaders following their summit in Alaska.

One of the most enduring images of Trump’s intriguing relationship with Putin is when the two men stood side-by-side in Helsinki seven years ago as Trump sided with Putin over US intelligence agencies about Russian interference in the 2016 election. In the moment — and long beyond — it was a win for Putin.

When former President Joe Biden met with Putin three years later, White House officials declined to hold a joint news conference. Biden stood alone outdoors in the blistering summer sun, getting the last word about their summit — a decision fueled by the scene in Helsinki.

A Trump administration official today dismissed any criticism of agreeing to a joint news conference in advance of the summit.

“We are cautiously optimistic there will be something promising to announce,” the official said. “If there isn’t, President Trump will talk about that, too.”

38 min ago

See Putin’s past meetings with US presidents

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ruled his country as both president and prime minister for more than 25 years, and over that time, he’s met with American presidents 48 times.

You can also watch the video here on YouTube.

1 hr 11 min ago

The history of Trump’s relationship with Putin

CNN’s Jeff Zeleny explains the history behind President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin’s relationship over the year.

You can also watch the video here on YouTube

1 hr 10 min ago

White House confirms joint news conference planned with Putin

From CNN's Aileen Graef

US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Getty Images

President Donald Trump is planning to participate in a joint news conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin after their meeting in Alaska tomorrow, the White House has confirmed.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said “that is the plan” when asked about the news conference, which the Kremlin announced earlier.

“So tomorrow, bright and early, he will be departing the White House for our joint military base in Anchorage, Alaska, where he will engage in a one-on-one meeting with President Putin, which will be followed by a bilateral lunch with the respective delegations from both countries, and then a press conference,” Leavitt told Fox News this morning.

Leavitt affirmed reporters will be able to ask questions of both presidents.

Leavitt added that the meeting would be an opportunity for Trump “to sit down and look the Russian president in the eye and see what progress can be made to move the ball forward to end this brutal war and to restore peace.”

1 hr 44 min ago

Here are the areas in Ukraine that Russia currently controls

President Donald Trump has said both Ukraine and Russia will have to give up land to end the war — an idea both countries reject.

These are the areas in Ukraine that Russia has control of right now:

50 min ago

Zelensky says he and UK prime minister discussed possible outcomes of Putin-Trump meeting

From CNN's Kosta Gak and Lauren Kent

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the garden of 10 Downing Street in London on Thursday.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the garden of 10 Downing Street in London on Thursday. Ben Stansall/WPA Pool/Getty Images

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at Downing Street in London today.

Zelensky said he discussed security guarantees with Starmer, as well as the possible outcomes of the upcoming Trump-Putin summit in Alaska.

“We discussed expectations from the meeting in Alaska and possible prospects. We also discussed in detail the security guarantees that could make peace truly sustainable if the United States manages to pressure Russia into stopping the killings and engaging in genuine, meaningful diplomacy,” Zelensky said in a statement following the meeting.

“It is important that we are able to work together within the coalition of the willing to achieve effective security formats,” the Ukrainian president added. “Ukraine will remain strong regardless of how the situation develops.”

A Downing Street spokesperson said the leaders had a private breakfast where they “agreed there had been a powerful sense of unity and a strong resolve to achieve a just and lasting peace in Ukraine” during yesterday’s virtual meetings with US President Donald Trump and European leaders.

“They then looked ahead to tomorrow’s talks between President Trump and President Putin in Alaska, which present a viable chance to make progress as long as Putin takes action to prove he is serious about peace,” the spokesperson added. “They agreed to stay in close touch in the coming days.”

2 hr 32 min ago

This is what's on Trump's schedule today as he preps for Putin meeting

From CNN staff

Here’s what President Donald Trump’s schedule looks like today, one day ahead of his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska:

11 a.m. ET: Trump receives an intelligence briefing (closed to press).

1 p.m. ET: Trump will mark the 90th anniversary of the Social Security Act with remarks in the Oval Office. “President Trump will issue a Presidential Proclamation honoring the 90th anniversary of the Social Security Act, which will tout his administration’s achievements in improving the program,” White House press pecretary Karoline Leavitt said in an X post.

We’ll be monitoring his remarks and any other updates.

2 hr 59 min ago

Putin: US making "energetic and sincere efforts" to end war in Ukraine

From CNN’s Anna Chernova and Christian Edwards

During a meeting with top Russian officials ahead of tomorrow’s summit in Alaska with US President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin said the United States is taking action to stop the war in Ukraine.

Before he travels to Alaska, Putin chaired a meeting that included members of the negotiating team that will join him at the summit, including Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, to brief them on “how the negotiation process on the Ukrainian crisis is going.”

“The current American administration … is making, in my opinion, quite energetic and sincere efforts to stop the hostilities, stop the crisis and reach agreements that are of interest to all parties involved in this conflict,” Putin said.

Putin also said that peace will be strengthened between Russia and the US — as well as the wider world — if the two countries reach agreements in the field of strategic offensive arms control.

2 hr 59 min ago

US and Russia teams will discuss Ukraine war and economic cooperation in Alaska summit, Kremlin says

From CNN’s Anna Chernova and Christian Edwards

A senior aide to Vladimir Putin has shared details of the plans for the Russian leader’s meeting with President Donald Trump in Alaska tomorrow, saying the delegations would discuss the war in Ukraine and potential economic cooperation.

Yury Ushakov, Putin’s foreign policy aide, told reporters that the summit will be held at the Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson military site in Anchorage, Alaska, at 11.30 a.m. local time (3:30 p.m. ET) on Friday.

The presidents will first have a one-on-one conversation, with the help of interpreters, before continuing talks over a business lunch, according to Ushakov. He said the length of the talks “will depend on the presidents.”

Both the Russian and US delegations will be comprised of five members, with further groups of experts nearby, he said.

Ushakov said the teams are expected to focus on the settlement of the war in Ukraine, as well as prospects of cooperation between Russia and the US in trade and economic issues.

“Following the talks, Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump will hold a joint press conference, in which they will sum up the results of the negotiations,” Ushakov said.

The Russian delegation: As well as Ushakov, Russia’s team comprises Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Defense Minister Andrey Belousov, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov and Kirill Dmitriev, a senior negotiator and head of Russia’s sovereign wealth fund.

The aide also noted that the talks will be held near the burial site of Soviet pilots in Alaska.

For subscribers: Read chief global affairs correspondent Matthew Chance’s analysis of what Putin really wants from Trump.

2 hr 58 min ago

Analysis: Trump has set deadlines for peace in Ukraine with zero results

President Donald Trump says Russia will face “consequences” if Russian President Vladimir Putin does not agree to stop the war in Ukraine during the leaders’ meeting in Alaska tomorrow.

CNN’s Kate Bolduan shows how Trump has made similar remarks in the past without producing any results.