Washington, August 13
As administrators from both nations scramble to prepare for a historic summit, White House officials stated that US President Donald Trump will be meeting with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, at the Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska's Anchorage, CNN reported.
Anchorage, the largest city in the state, has been finalised for the meeting of both leaders on Friday, August 15, following a hectic search for a suitable venue during Alaska's busy summer tourist season.
According to CNN, the military base, located on the city's northern edge, was ultimately selected due to its ability to meet strict security requirements, despite the White House's initial reluctance to host the Russian delegation on a US military installation.
Officials explored options in Juneau, Fairbanks, and Anchorage but found most venues either unavailable or ill-equipped to handle the security and logistical demands of such a high-profile meeting, CNN reported.
Some Alaskans even offered their private homes, though it remains unclear if those offers reached decision-makers.
The summit, scheduled for Friday, marks the first in-person meeting between the leaders of the US and Russia in over four years. Preparations are still underway, with much of the agenda and details fluid.
Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a phone conversation on Tuesday (local time) to discuss the upcoming meeting between the two Presidents.
According to the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lavrov and Rubio "discussed certain aspects" of the Friday summit.
"On August 12, Russia's FM Sergey #Lavrov & US Secretary of State @MarcoRubio spoke over the phone, discussed certain aspects of the upcoming meeting between President Vladimir #Putin & President @realDonaldTrump in Alaska on August 15," the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs wrote on X.
According to CNN, unlike traditional summits between rival powers, this encounter lacks a clearly defined agenda or set of expected outcomes.
President Trump has described it as a "feel-out" session, with the White House calling it a "listening session".
According to Rubio, Trump believes a face-to-face meeting is essential to personally assess Putin's intentions, something he feels cannot be done through phone conversations alone, despite having spoken with the Russian leader five times this year, as reported by CNN.
- ANI
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