Lavrov Arrives in Alaska Ahead of Trump-US-Russia Talks on Ukraine

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov arrived in Alaska ahead of a high-stakes in-person summit with President Donald Trump, arriving at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson wearing a sweatshirt emblazoned with the CCCP initials that signify the Soviet Union. The gesture underscored Moscow’s posture heading into talks focused on Ukraine, with Putin expected to land in Alaska later in the day. The meeting, designed to be the most consequential US-Russia encounter since the Cold War, will begin with a one-on-one session, followed by delegation talks and a joint press conference, as each side lays out its position on a path toward ending the conflict in Ukraine.

Lavrov’s arrival signaled the Kremlin’s intent to project a clear, uncompromising stance. The delegation accompanying him includes senior figures from Moscow, and the US side has been preparing for a demanding round of negotiations. The talks come after weeks of pre-summit diplomacy, with groundwork claimed to have been laid during discussions led by a US special envoy. Trump has signaled an interest in exploring a broader framework that could include Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, in a trilateral format, though...