9:12Russian President Vladimir Putin delivering a speech during an event commemorating the 1160th anniversary of Russia’s statehood in Veliky Novgorod on September 21, 2022, alongside Donald Trump during a meeting with France’s President at the Elysee Palace in Paris on December 7, 2024.Ilya Pitalev/SPUTNIK/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are scheduled to convene at an important summit in Alaska on Friday.
This meeting follows Trump’s warning of “severe consequences” for Russia if Moscow does not agree to a ceasefire with Ukraine. The two nations have been in conflict for over three years since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
On Thursday, Trump expressed his belief that both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy desire peace.
"We'll see what unfolds. I think President Putin will pursue peace. I believe President Zelenskyy will also seek peace. We’ll find out if they can collaborate, and if they do, it’ll be fantastic," Trump remarked in the Oval Office.
Russian President Vladimir Putin delivering a speech during an event commemorating the 1160th anniversary of Russia’s statehood in Veliky Novgorod on September 21, 2022, alongside Donald Trump during a meeting with France’s President at the Elysee Palace in Paris on December 7, 2024.Ilya Pitalev/SPUTNIK/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
Here’s what you should know about the summit and how to stay updated with the latest news.
How can I watch and stay updated?
ABC News will provide special coverage of the meeting and the anticipated news conference that will follow.
"World News Tonight" anchor David Muir will oversee reporting and analysis of the meeting, with assistance from "This Week" co-anchor and chief global affairs correspondent Martha Raddatz, "This Week" co-anchor and chief Washington correspondent Jonathan Karl, chief White House correspondent Mary Bruce, chief international correspondent Ian Pannell, chief foreign correspondent James Longman, "Good Morning America" weekend co-anchor and "World News Tonight" Saturday anchor Whit Johnson, senior political correspondent Rachel Scott, alongside contributors Steve Ganyard and Mark Updegrove.
Coverage will be broadcast on ABC and will also stream on the 24/7 news channel ABC News Live.
ABC News Live will offer ongoing coverage throughout the day of the summit. Anchors Kyra Phillips and Kayna Whitworth will commence special coverage at 4 p.m. EDT, providing breaking news updates from the team present in Alaska. ABC News Live can be accessed on Disney+, Hulu, The Roku Channel, YouTube, YouTube TV, Samsung TV Plus, Amazon, Pluto TV, TikTok, ABCNews.com, the ABC News and ABC News Live apps, and more.
ABCNews.com will feature detailed coverage of the summit, including real-time updates and analysis.
When and where is the summit taking place?
Trump and Putin will hold their summit at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, on Friday, as confirmed by a White House official to ABC News.
The meeting is anticipated to occur Friday afternoon Eastern time, with a news conference expected to follow later that evening Eastern time.
Alaska holds historical significance, given its shared past. The 49th state of the United States was once Russian territory until President Andrew Johnson signed a treaty to acquire it in 1867, according to the State Department’s Office of the Historian.
"The acquisition of Alaska in 1867 marked the conclusion of Russian attempts to expand trade and settlements to the Pacific coast of North America, and represented a crucial advancement in the United States’ emergence as a significant power in the Asia-Pacific region," as stated by the State Department’s Office of the Historian website.
