Trump departs for Alaska to meet with Putin..."Highly significant"

Donald Trump, President of the United States, departed for Alaska on the 15th (local time) for a US-Russia summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

On that morning, President Trump left the White House, arrived at Joint Base Andrews near Washington, D.C., and boarded Air Force One, the presidential aircraft.

Global attention is focused on whether President Trump and President Putin will reach a 'ceasefire' agreement for the Ukraine war, which has been ongoing for 3 years and 6 months, during this summit.

Before leaving the White House that morning, President Trump posted the short phrase "HIGH STAKES" on Truth Social.

According to the White House, accompanying President Trump on this trip to Alaska are Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of the Treasury Scott Besant, Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, and CIA Director John Ratcliffe.

Steve Witkoff, Special Envoy for the Middle East, is also reportedly part of President Trump’s entourage.

Special Envoy Witkoff is known to have met President Putin several times to mediate an end to the war on behalf of the United States under the Trump administration, and last week, he visited Moscow to meet with President Putin.

Susie Wiles, White House Chief of Staff, Steven Cheung, Director of Communications, and Caroline Leavitt, Press Secretary, also accompanied the trip.

President Trump and President Putin will hold the summit at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in northern Anchorage, the largest city in Alaska, on this day.

After a one-on-one meeting in the morning (local Alaska time), the two leaders are expected to continue negotiations over a working lunch with their respective aides on both sides.

The details of how the outcome of the summit will be announced have not been disclosed, but generally, such announcements are made through a joint press conference or separate briefings.

Boba Lee, Guest Reporter, Hankyung.com newsinfo@hankyung.com