ALASKA — U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin shook hands warmly on Friday at the start of a high-stakes summit in Alaska, where they are expected to hold hours of talks that could reshape the trajectory of the war in Ukraine and redefine U.S.-Russia relations.

The leaders met on the tarmac at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, where a special stage was set up with a bold “Alaska 2025” banner flanked by fighter jets.

Military officials in full dress stood at attention as Cold War-era B-2s and F-22s soared overhead in a symbolic flyover.

In a departure from their 2018 Helsinki summit, which began with a closed-door session, Friday’s meeting was upgraded from a private conversation to a three-on-three format.

Trump is joined by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff, while Putin is accompanied by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov.

The summit is seen as an opportunity for Trump to showcase his negotiation skills and present himself as a potential peacemaker.

He has repeatedly claimed he could end the war in Ukraine quickly.

For Putin, the meeting represents a chance to seek formal recognition of Russian territorial gains, derail Ukraine’s NATO ambitions, and pivot Kyiv back toward Moscow’s influence.

No Ukrainian or European leaders were invited to participate in the summit, a move critics say undermines the West’s “nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine” policy.

The absence of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy raised concerns about Trump potentially striking a deal that excludes Kyiv’s interests.

The risks for Trump are significant. Hosting Putin on U.S. soil — especially in Alaska, which was purchased from Russia in 1867 — sends a symbolic message of legitimacy to the Russian leader.

Trump, in a social media post before boarding Air Force One, wrote simply: “HIGH STAKES!!!”

Putin, en route to Alaska, stopped in Magadan in Russia’s Far East to visit a fish oil capsule factory.

According to the Kremlin, he used the flight to review briefing materials on Ukraine, bilateral tensions, and broader international issues.

Despite speculation about a possible ceasefire, both sides remain deeply divided. Moscow has demanded a halt to Western arms supplies and a freeze on Ukraine’s mobilization—terms Kyiv and its allies reject.

Trump has indicated that a peace deal may be possible, and has floated the idea of inviting Zelenskyy to a follow-up three-way meeting if progress is made.

Putin and Trump are expected to hold a joint press conference following the summit. — Agencies