U.S. President Donald Trump said he will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin on 15 August in Alaska, marking the first face-to-face encounter between the two leaders since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022. The announcement was made on Trump’s Truth Social account and quickly confirmed by a Kremlin spokesperson, ending days of speculation over the summit’s timing and location. Trump has framed the meeting as an effort to broker a ceasefire and “lasting peace” in Ukraine. Speaking earlier at the White House, he suggested that any settlement could include a “swapping of territories” and said Washington and Moscow were “very close” to an agreement. Trump has also set an Aug. 8 deadline, now lapsed, for Russia to accept a ceasefire or face secondary sanctions targeting countries that buy Russian oil. The choice of Alaska—geographically the closest U.S. state to Russia—carries symbolic weight: Putin has not visited U.S. soil since 2015. No representatives from Ukraine or the European Union are currently expected to attend, though Trump said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy would receive “everything he needs” to secure a deal. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte cautioned that negotiations must not pressure Kyiv to surrender territory, and European foreign ministers will hold extraordinary talks ahead of the summit. Kyiv continues to reject any concessions that would formalize Russia’s hold over Crimea and parts of eastern Ukraine, leaving the prospects for a breakthrough uncertain despite the planned Alaska meeting.