Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin meet in Anchorage, Alaska for Ukraine peace talks

US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin have touched down and shared a handshake in Anchorage, Alaska, for a historic and high-stakes meeting that could determine the future of Ukraine.

Mr Trump and Mr Putin, who were originally set to meet one-on-one, are currently in a three-on-three meeting at a US military base after a last-minute change that reportedly had officials scrambling.

The US President was first to touch down in Air Force One at the Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage.

For the first meeting with Mr Putin since the US President was reelected, after claiming he could end the Ukraine war in a day, Mr Trump rolled out the red carpet, literally, putting on a show for the Russian President.

Mr Putin touched down around 30 minutes after Mr Trump. Nearly half a million people had watched Mr Putin’s plane land on Flightradar24.

The US President stood at the intersection of red carpets which led to each plane, waiting to shake the hand of Mr Putin as the two met on the tarmac.

The two embraced, which political commentators are describing as warm.

US F-22 aircraft were placed on either side of the red carpet, and a B-2 bomber with a full US Air Force jet escort completed a flyover, with military might on full display.

The leaders stood in front of an Alaska 2025 sign before the Russian President entered Mr Trump’s limousine.

The move shocked onlookers, who noted the Russian President’s Russian-made car was on the tarmac, with Mr Putin instead to share a private car ride in “The Beast” - the US President’s car - which took the two to the meeting rooms.

Moments before the presidential planes touched down, the White House confirmed Mr Trump would not meet Mr Putin alone.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt revealed US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff would join Mr Trump in his meetings with Mr Putin.

Like a quick move of political chess, Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov announced Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov would join Mr Putin.

When the two arrived at the unlikely location that could bring peace and end the ongoing Ukraine-Russia war, the two leaders sat silently with their respective delegations seated to the side in their first meeting since 2019.

They were seated in front of a blue backdrop that had the words “Pursuing Peace” printed on it.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who was not invited to the talks, and his European allies fear Trump might sell out Ukraine by essentially freezing the conflict and recognising, if only informally, Russian control over one-fifth of Ukraine.

The meeting is set to last for around six hours, with the Kremlin revealing on Friday local time that the day was scheduled for much longer than originally anticipated.

More to come...

- with Reuters