Alaska’s role unclear as Trump plans for future summits with Zelenskyy and Putin

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - President Donald Trump did not mention Alaska as a potential location after he said from the East Room of the White House Monday that he is working towards setting up a second summit involving both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

“We’re going to try and get a three-party meeting maybe as soon as we can and I have a feeling you and President Putin are going to work something out,” Trump said.

In a post on his Truth Social account Monday, Trump confirmed that he is working towards two separate meetings: one just between Russia and Ukraine, and another, trilateral meeting, including the two and the United States.

“At the conclusion of the meetings, I called President Putin, and began the arrangements for a meeting, at a location to be determined, between President Putin and President Zelenskyy,” the post reads. “After that meeting takes place, we will have a Trilat, which would be the two Presidents, plus myself.

“Again, this was a very good, early step for a War that has been going on for almost four years.”

This comes after Trump and Putin met in Alaska Friday for a summit to end the war in Ukraine, where a ceasefire was not agreed to. Both presidents did not take questions during the 12-minute press conference that followed the meeting.

“We had an extremely productive meeting, and many points were agreed to,” Trump said Friday. “And there are just a very few that are left. Some are not that significant. One is probably the most significant, but we have a very good chance of getting there. We didn’t get there, but we have a very good chance of getting there.

Where a meeting with Putin and Zelenskyy would happen was not answered Monday, but Trump said he would like a trilateral meeting soon and previously signaled he would like a second summit to take place in Alaska.

Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s spokesperson Jeff Turner said Monday the governor said he would like a second summit to take place in Alaska. It follows comments he made before Friday’s summit on how he said it made sense to host in Alaska.

“I’d like to see it actually happen, maybe in Alaska where we just stayed, because it’s so much easier,” Trump previously told reporters.

Putin said at the Friday summit he had another idea.

“I’d like to thank you very much and we’ll speak to you very soon and probably see you again very soon,” Trump said, ending the conference Friday.

“Next time in Moscow,” Putin replied in English.

“Oh, that’s an interesting one, I don’t know,” Trump said, laughing. “I’ll get a little heat on that one, but I could see it possibly happening.”

Trump said he will be the one trying to organize the meeting and kept it vague whether he would or would not be involved.

Trump also said he was looking for a trilateral meeting, meaning three parties would be involved, which would presumably be between the United States, Ukraine, and Russia.

Zelenskyy said he would like Trump to be present.

“If you both want me there, I will be there,” Trump replied.

Trump said during the conference he would speak with Putin after adjourning the meeting with Zelenskyy and European leaders.

But the onus, according to Trump, remained on Zelenskyy.

“Ultimately, this is a decision that can only be made by President Zelenskyy and by the people of Ukraine working also together in agreement with President Putin and I just think that very good things are going to come of it,” Trump said.

Two items seem to be the key focus of the summit: the cession of Crimean land to Russia and security guarantees (provided by the United States) to Ukraine.

“We spoke about very sensitive points,” Zelenskyy said at the press conference. “The first one is security guarantees and we are very happy with [the] president that all the leaders are here and the security in Ukraine depends on the United States and on [Trump].

“This is very important that the United States gives such strong signal and is ready for security guarantees,” Zelenskyy added.

Zelenskyy did not directly address the idea of territory swapping, but that was a demand floated both at the summit in Alaska between Putin and Trump on Friday, as well as by Trump on Monday.

“President Zelenskyy of Ukraine can end the war with Russia almost immediately, if he wants to, or he can continue to fight,” Trump said on Truth Social the day before Zelenskyy’s visit. Trump also said there would be “NO GOING INTO NATO BY UKRAINE,” in the same post.

Neither Trump nor Putin took questions from reporters at the end of the Friday press conference.

Editor’s Note: This article was updated with new information.

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