President Donald Trump plans to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in person on Friday, Aug. 15. This will be the first time the two world leaders have met face-to-face since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.
“The highly anticipated meeting between myself, as President of the United States of America, and President Vladimir Putin, of Russia, will take place next Friday, August 15, 2025, in the great state of Alaska. Further details to follow. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” the White House posted to X Aug. 8, quoting Trump.
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Context and preparations
Trump’s announcement comes the same day his threatened sanctions against Russia were set to take effect. Trump gave Putin an Aug. 8 deadline to make peace or face severe economic consequences.
The Kremlin confirmed Thursday that Putin agreed to meet Trump face-to-face. The idea for the meeting was first suggested after Trump and Putin spoke on the phone on Wednesday.
White House envoy Steve Witkoff on Wednesday went to Moscow to meet with Putin. Trump called Witkoff’s meeting with Putin “highly productive.”
During the meeting in Moscow, Putin showed a plan to Witkoff, laying out concessions by Ukraine to give up control of two areas: the eastern Donbas region and Crimea.
Ongoing conflict and historical context
The meeting comes as Trump pushes to find an end to the Ukraine-Russia conflict. It’s unclear if Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will be part of the talks. The Kremlin said they are concentrating on making the meeting between Trump and Putin “successful and productive.”
Putin has not visited the United States for nearly 10 years. The last time he visited, he met with President Barack Obama in September 2015 at a United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York.
