President Trump prepares for ‘important’ meeting with Putin in Alaska

US President Donald Trump has said he believes Russian leader Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky “can make peace”, as he prepares for a high-stakes meeting with Putin in Alaska tomorrow.

Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office today, Trump described the planned talks as “big” and “important”, insisting they could save “a lot of lives”. He revealed that a second round of discussions involving Putin, Zelensky and possibly European leaders could follow.

Asked if he would offer Russia access to rare earth minerals in exchange for ending the war in Ukraine, Trump said negotiations would focus on securing peace, but hinted economic incentives could be on the table.

The Anchorage meeting, set for Friday, will be the first face-to-face between a US president and the Kremlin leader on American soil in decades — and comes amid concerns in Kyiv and Europe about being sidelined in any deal.