Intensive preparations are underway for the highly anticipated meeting between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump in Alaska. The Kremlin’s security team has developed a specialized plan to guarantee the safe transportation of the Russian President. The meeting is scheduled to take place on August 15th at the Elmendorf-Richardson military base, chosen for its strong security measures. The meeting format will feature a direct, face-to-face interaction between Trump and Putin, with Trump aiming to gauge Putin’s intentions regarding the ongoing conflict within a matter of minutes.
Putin’s journey to Alaska will involve transit through the Bering Strait, entering US airspace from Russian airspace. To facilitate Putin’s arrival, all flights in Anchorage, Alaska, will be restricted on August 15th. Putin’s aircraft will be subject to specialized security protocols, with constant monitoring by the Secret Service. Putin’s security detail will consist of Russian security forces. Kremlin officials are actively involved in pre-meeting arrangements. The US State Department indicated that Marco Rubio had a discussion with Sergey Lavrov, his Russian counterpart, on Tuesday, to discuss the preparations for the upcoming summit.
The choice of Alaska as the meeting location is based on its historical context, as it was once a part of Russia before being sold to the United States by the Russian Tsar. Importantly, the International Criminal Court has issued a warrant for Putin, and the United States is not bound by the court’s rulings. This enables Putin to travel directly to Alaska without the risk of entering territories that adhere to the International Criminal Court’s directives, which could potentially result in his apprehension. This strategic advantage is why Putin and Trump chose Alaska. The discussions at the meeting will center on ceasefire negotiations and future strategic considerations. Ukraine has voiced concerns that Russia is leveraging the talks to prolong the conflict.