Russian President Vladimir Putin offered rare public praise for the Trump administration on Thursday, calling it “energetic and sincere” just one day before his first in-person meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump since 2019. The talks, set for Friday at Joint Base Elmendorf–Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, will mark Putin’s first visit to American soil in a decade.
Speaking to senior Kremlin officials, Putin said the current U.S. leadership is making “energetic and sincere efforts” to halt conflict, end crises, and work toward agreements “in the interests of all parties involved.” He described the meeting’s goal as creating “lasting conditions for peace” between the two countries, in Europe, and globally.
Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov confirmed final preparations for the summit are underway, noting the short notice of the meeting created logistical hurdles, including securing visas for the Russian delegation.
President Trump told Fox News Radio on Thursday his priority is to advocate for soldiers “being killed unnecessarily” and to encourage Putin to meet directly with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. He hinted at a possible follow-up trilateral meeting with Zelensky that could happen immediately after the Alaska talks, potentially without either leader leaving the state. “We have a lot of planes,” Trump remarked.
Trump said he will know “in the first couple of minutes” whether the meeting will be productive but believes Putin’s willingness to come to Alaska signals a serious intent to reach a deal. If talks go well, the two leaders may hold a joint press conference. If not, Trump said he would brief the media alone before returning to Washington, D.C.
The president added that a successful first round could lead to European leaders joining negotiations in a second phase, with Alaska remaining a possible venue.
