Russian President Vladimir Putin has begun his journey to the United States for the critical summit with his American counterpart, Donald Trump, scheduled for today at 22:00 (Greek time) in Alaska, at Elmendorf Air Base in Anchorage.
Before departing for American territory, the Russian president made a stop in Magadan, the Russian port on the Sea of Okhotsk (Northwest Pacific) located approximately 5,900 kilometers from Moscow. There, according to Tass news agency, he is set to visit a fish oil processing plant, the Mayak social and cultural center, and a monument honoring heroic Russian pilots in the coming hours. He will also meet with regional governor Sergei Nosov.
✈️ New trend — the Magadan route! Putin made a stop in Magadan on his way to Trump
Propagandists claim that on his way to Alaska, the dictator will visit a local enterprise, go to a park, and a sports complex.
Videos are circulating on social media — allegedly showing Putin’s… pic.twitter.com/KaraPlmrZs
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) August 15, 2025
Videos captured by citizens show the impressive convoy of armored vehicles, accompanied by patrol cars and an ambulance, as it traversed the closed roads of Russia’s Far East heading toward the Pacific coast. The draconian security measures reflect the gravity of the upcoming meeting with the American president.
The Alaska talks are expected to focus on finding a path to a ceasefire in Ukraine, marking the first face-to-face meeting between the two leaders since 2018.
Despite Trump extending the invitation to Putin, he later appeared cautious, warning that the meeting could be cut short within minutes if Moscow shows no willingness to compromise.
Vladimir Putin arrived in Magadan before meeting with Trump
Presidential press secretary Peskov said that the Russian leader would visit an industrial enterprise in Magadan and meet with the governor, after which he would travel to Alaska, where a Russian-American summit would… pic.twitter.com/5PGP7yfboF
— Victor vicktop55 commentary (@vick55top) August 15, 2025
ALASKA — Putin's cortege rolls through Anchorage's suspended Sister City Magadan, advancing ahead of his arrival.
— Toria Brooke (@realtoriabrooke) August 15, 2025
Trump presents two scenarios for the meeting outcome
Donald Trump has spent the last 24 hours trying to moderate expectations, despite his claim that he would end the war in Ukraine on his first day in office. The American president says he wants to “test the waters” with his Russian counterpart, but outlined on Wednesday that there are two possible outcomes:
- If the meeting goes well, it will be followed “almost immediately” by a trilateral summit between himself, Putin, and Volodymyr Zelensky, to end the war that erupted in February 2022 with the Russian army’s invasion.
- If it goes poorly, Trump warns there will be no “second chance.”
The summit is obviously not a peace conference. For the Ukrainian president and Europeans, the concern is that Anchorage doesn’t become another Yalta – the historic summit where great powers delineated territories and spheres of influence, like the February 1945 meeting between the USA, United Kingdom, and Soviet Union.
