President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are meeting Friday in Anchorage, Alaska, for high-stakes discussions about Russia’s war in Ukraine.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the goal of the meeting is “for the president is to walk away with a better understanding of how we can end this war.” A top Kremlin aide said economic cooperation between Washington and Moscow is also on the agenda.
Following the talks, Mr. Trump is expected to be joined by Putin for a rare joint news conference.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was not invited to the Alaska summit, but Mr. Trump has said another round of talks with both Russia and Ukraine may happen next, possibly within days.
Zelenskyy spoke with Mr. Trump and European leaders on Wednesday and said he hoped an “immediate ceasefire” will be the main focus of the meeting. But Zelenskyy has also warned that “talks about us, without us, will not work” for Ukraine. He said he told Mr. Trump and allied leaders that “Putin is bluffing” and “doesn’t want peace.”
Mr. Trump told reporters there would be “very severe consequences” for Russia if it doesn’t agree to end the war, but did not elaborate on what that that might entail.
Russia seized Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and launched a full-scale invasion in February 2022, igniting a bloody war that continues to grind on along front lines in the east and in drone and missile attacks that have terrorized Ukrainian cities.
When are Trump and Putin meeting?
Presidents Trump and Putin are expected to meet Friday, Aug. 15, beginning at around 3 p.m. EDT (Alaska is 4 hours behind Eastern Time). The full timing of all the day’s events has not yet been announced. Following their talks, they are expected to hold a joint news conference in the afternoon local time, which would be Friday evening on the East Coast.
Where are Trump and Putin meeting?
The meeting between the U.S. and Russian presidents is taking place at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, in Anchorage, Alaska. The location is roughly midway between Washington, D.C., and Moscow.
How to watch live coverage of the Trump-Putin meeting
- What: President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin meet in Alaska
- Date: Friday, Aug. 15, 2025
- Time: Coverage throughout the day. The leaders are expected to meet at around 3 p.m. EDT and hold a news conference after talks conclude. but an official schedule has not yet been announced.
- Location: Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska
- On TV: Watch Special Reports and the “CBS Evening News,” anchored from Alaska, on CBS television stations (find your local station here)
- Online stream: Live coverage on CBS News 24/7 in the video player above and on your mobile or streaming device
The CBS News team in Anchorage for the summit includes “CBS Evening News” anchor John Dickerson; “Face the Nation” moderator and chief foreign affairs correspondent Margaret Brennan; chief White House correspondent Nancy Cordes; and White House reporter Willie James Inman. Senior foreign correspondent Debora Patta joins from London.
Coverage will also include insights and analysis from CBS News contributors including former U.S. Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan; former Homeland Security official Samantha Vinograd; and Lt. Gen. HR McMaster, former national security adviser to President Trump.
