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| Why are Trump and Putin meeting in Alaska? | Why are Trump and Putin meeting in Alaska? |
| (about 8 hours later) | |
| The US and Russia have agreed to hold a meeting between Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin on Friday 15 August, to discuss how to end the war in Ukraine. | The US and Russia have agreed to hold a meeting between Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin on Friday 15 August, to discuss how to end the war in Ukraine. |
| Trump announced the meeting a week beforehand - the same day as his deadline for Russia to agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine or face more US sanctions. | Trump announced the meeting a week beforehand - the same day as his deadline for Russia to agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine or face more US sanctions. |
| Three rounds of talks between Russia and Ukraine held at Trump's behest this summer have yet to bring the two sides any closer to peace. | Three rounds of talks between Russia and Ukraine held at Trump's behest this summer have yet to bring the two sides any closer to peace. |
| Here is what we know about the meeting between the two leaders, taking place in Alaska - which was once Russian territory - in Anchorage. | |
| Why are they meeting in Alaska? | Why are they meeting in Alaska? |
| The US purchased Alaska from Russia in 1867, giving a historical significance to the meeting. It later became an American state in 1959. | The US purchased Alaska from Russia in 1867, giving a historical significance to the meeting. It later became an American state in 1959. |
| Russian presidential assistant Yuri Ushakov pointed out that the two countries were neighbours, with only the Bering Strait separating them. | Russian presidential assistant Yuri Ushakov pointed out that the two countries were neighbours, with only the Bering Strait separating them. |
| "It seems quite logical for our delegation simply to fly over the Bering Strait and for such an important and anticipated summit of the leaders of the two countries to be held in Alaska," Ushakov said. | "It seems quite logical for our delegation simply to fly over the Bering Strait and for such an important and anticipated summit of the leaders of the two countries to be held in Alaska," Ushakov said. |
| The last time Alaska took centre-stage in an American diplomatic event was in March 2021, when Joe Biden's newly-minted diplomatic and national security team met their Chinese counterparts in Anchorage. | The last time Alaska took centre-stage in an American diplomatic event was in March 2021, when Joe Biden's newly-minted diplomatic and national security team met their Chinese counterparts in Anchorage. |
| The sit-down turned acrimonious, with the Chinese accusing the Americans of "condescension and hypocrisy". | The sit-down turned acrimonious, with the Chinese accusing the Americans of "condescension and hypocrisy". |
| Where in Alaska will Trump and Putin meet? | Where in Alaska will Trump and Putin meet? |
| The meeting will be in Anchorage, the White House confirmed on Tuesday. | |
| When announcing the summit, Trump said it would take place in the "great state of Alaska". | |
| The location would be "a very popular one for a number of reasons", he added, though he didn't reveal more at the time about the location. | |
| Why are Putin and Trump meeting? | Why are Putin and Trump meeting? |
| Trump has been pushing hard - without much success - to end the war in Ukraine. | Trump has been pushing hard - without much success - to end the war in Ukraine. |
| As a presidential candidate, he pledged that he could end the war within 24 hours of taking office. He has also repeatedly claimed that the war "never would have happened" if he had been president at the time of Russia's invasion. | As a presidential candidate, he pledged that he could end the war within 24 hours of taking office. He has also repeatedly claimed that the war "never would have happened" if he had been president at the time of Russia's invasion. |
| Last month, Trump told the BBC that he was "disappointed" by Putin. | Last month, Trump told the BBC that he was "disappointed" by Putin. |
| Frustrations grew and Trump set an 8 August deadline for Putin to agree to an immediate ceasefire or face more severe US sanctions. | Frustrations grew and Trump set an 8 August deadline for Putin to agree to an immediate ceasefire or face more severe US sanctions. |
| As the deadline hit, Trump instead announced he and Putin would meet in person on 15 August. | As the deadline hit, Trump instead announced he and Putin would meet in person on 15 August. |
| The meeting comes after US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff held "highly productive" talks with Putin in Moscow on Wednesday, according to Trump. | The meeting comes after US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff held "highly productive" talks with Putin in Moscow on Wednesday, according to Trump. |
| Trump says he will try to get back territory for Ukraine in talks with Putin | Trump says he will try to get back territory for Ukraine in talks with Putin |
| Zelensky could still join Trump and Putin, but rest of Europe is shut out | Zelensky could still join Trump and Putin, but rest of Europe is shut out |
| Is Ukraine attending? | Is Ukraine attending? |
| Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is not expected to attend. Trump said on Monday: "I would say he could go, but he's been to a lot of meetings." | Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is not expected to attend. Trump said on Monday: "I would say he could go, but he's been to a lot of meetings." |
| Trump did, however, say that Zelensky would be the first person he would call afterwards. | Trump did, however, say that Zelensky would be the first person he would call afterwards. |
| Putin had requested that Zelensky be omitted, although the White House has previously said that Trump is willing to hold a trilateral meeting in which all three leaders are president. | Putin had requested that Zelensky be omitted, although the White House has previously said that Trump is willing to hold a trilateral meeting in which all three leaders are president. |
| When the Trump-Putin summit was announced, Zelensky said any agreements without input from his country would amount to "dead decisions". | When the Trump-Putin summit was announced, Zelensky said any agreements without input from his country would amount to "dead decisions". |
| He has also spoken out against what Trump has called the "swapping of territories". He said: "We will not reward Russia for what it has perpetrated." | He has also spoken out against what Trump has called the "swapping of territories". He said: "We will not reward Russia for what it has perpetrated." |
| What do both sides hope to get out of it? | What do both sides hope to get out of it? |
| Speaking to reporters on Monday, Trump gave a mixed picture of what he would aim to take away from the meeting. | Speaking to reporters on Monday, Trump gave a mixed picture of what he would aim to take away from the meeting. |
| He said Russia had "occupied a big portion of Ukraine," adding that he was "going to try to get some of that territory back for Ukraine". But he also warned that there would be "some swapping, changes in land" - a comment likely to alarm Kyiv. | He said Russia had "occupied a big portion of Ukraine," adding that he was "going to try to get some of that territory back for Ukraine". But he also warned that there would be "some swapping, changes in land" - a comment likely to alarm Kyiv. |
| Trump said he viewed the summit as a "feel-out meeting" aimed at urging Putin to end the war - suggesting he may view the summit as just an initial encounter. | Trump said he viewed the summit as a "feel-out meeting" aimed at urging Putin to end the war - suggesting he may view the summit as just an initial encounter. |
| Watch: 'We're going to change the battle lines' Trump on the war in Ukraine | Watch: 'We're going to change the battle lines' Trump on the war in Ukraine |
| While both Russia and Ukraine have long said that they, too, want the war to end, both countries want things that the other harshly opposes. | While both Russia and Ukraine have long said that they, too, want the war to end, both countries want things that the other harshly opposes. |
| Ukraine has been adamant that it will not accept Russian control of regions Moscow has seized, including Crimea. | Ukraine has been adamant that it will not accept Russian control of regions Moscow has seized, including Crimea. |
| Meanwhile, Putin has not budged from his territorial demands, Ukraine's neutrality and the future size of its army. | Meanwhile, Putin has not budged from his territorial demands, Ukraine's neutrality and the future size of its army. |
| Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, in part, over Putin's belief the Western defensive alliance, Nato, was using the neighbouring country to gain a foothold to bring its troops closer to Russia's borders. | Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, in part, over Putin's belief the Western defensive alliance, Nato, was using the neighbouring country to gain a foothold to bring its troops closer to Russia's borders. |
| The Trump administration has been attempting to sway European leaders on a ceasefire deal that would hand over swathes of Ukrainian territory to Russia, the BBC's US partner CBS News has reported. | The Trump administration has been attempting to sway European leaders on a ceasefire deal that would hand over swathes of Ukrainian territory to Russia, the BBC's US partner CBS News has reported. |
| The deal would allow Russia to keep control of the Crimean peninsula, and take the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine, which is made up of Donetsk and Luhansk, according to sources familiar with the talks. | The deal would allow Russia to keep control of the Crimean peninsula, and take the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine, which is made up of Donetsk and Luhansk, according to sources familiar with the talks. |
| Russia illegally occupied Crimea in 2014 and its forces control the majority of the Donbas region. | Russia illegally occupied Crimea in 2014 and its forces control the majority of the Donbas region. |
| Under the deal, Russia would have to give up the Ukrainian regions of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, where it currently has some military control. | Under the deal, Russia would have to give up the Ukrainian regions of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, where it currently has some military control. |
| Speaking to Fox News, US Vice-President JD Vance said any future deal was "not going to make anybody super happy". | Speaking to Fox News, US Vice-President JD Vance said any future deal was "not going to make anybody super happy". |
| "You've got to make peace here… you can't finger point," he said. "The way to peace is to have a decisive leader to sit down and force people to come together." | "You've got to make peace here… you can't finger point," he said. "The way to peace is to have a decisive leader to sit down and force people to come together." |
| ANALYSIS: Why Trump-Putin relationship has soured | ANALYSIS: Why Trump-Putin relationship has soured |
| EXPLAINER: Why did Putin's Russia invade Ukraine? | EXPLAINER: Why did Putin's Russia invade Ukraine? |
| VISUALS: Tracking the war in maps | VISUALS: Tracking the war in maps |
| GLOBAL FALLOUT: How the global economy could be impacted | GLOBAL FALLOUT: How the global economy could be impacted |
| VERIFY: Russian attacks on Ukraine double since Trump inauguration | VERIFY: Russian attacks on Ukraine double since Trump inauguration |
| GROUND REPORT: On Ukraine's front line, twisted wreckage shows sanctions haven't yet stopped Russia | GROUND REPORT: On Ukraine's front line, twisted wreckage shows sanctions haven't yet stopped Russia |