President Donald Trump announced on Friday that he will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin next week in Alaska. 

The president broke the news on his Truth Social social media platform, confirming that the meeting would take place on Friday, August 15. 

‘I am pleased to announce that the eagerly awaited meeting between myself, the President of the United States, and President Vladimir Putin of Russia is scheduled for next Friday, August 15, 2025, in the great state of Alaska,’ Trump announced. ‘More information will be provided soon. Thank you for your attention!’

Earlier Friday, Trump spoke to reporters about his attempts to end the war between Ukraine and Russia, saying he would start by meeting with Putin. 

The president indicated that discussions regarding Ukrainian territory are essential to reach a resolution for the conflict that has persisted for three and a half years.

‘It’s complicated, nothing easy,’ he previewed. ‘It’s very complicated but we’re going to get some back and we’re going to get some switched.’ 

Trump said his focus was on ending the war and ‘saving lives.’  

‘I think if we didn’t come, Ukraine and Russia would have ended up being a World War, and I stopped that,’ he said.

President Donald Trump announced on Friday that he will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin next Friday in Alaska 

The statement, shared via Trump’s social media platform Truth Social, described the meeting as ‘highly anticipated,’ though few details were provided

This summit marks the first in-person dialogue between the Russian and American leaders since former President Joe Biden’s encounter with Putin in 2021. Following Biden’s meeting, Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, with Biden opting not to engage with Putin post-invasion.

 The soon-to-be meeting also marks the first time Putin – or any Russian leader – has visited the U.S. since 2015 meeting when Putin met with then-President Barack Obama at the UN General Assembly Meeting in New York City on September 28, 2015.

The surprise announcement comes just one day after the Trump’s new deadline for Russia to commit to peace talks expired.

Trump’s statement also follows reports from several U.S. outlets citing a White House official, who indicated that any potential meeting with the Russian leader would be contingent on his willingness to engage directly with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

However, when pressed by reporters for clarification, the U.S. President stated that a meeting between Putin and Zelensky would not be a prerequisite for the planned U.S.-Russia talks to move forward.

The U.S. leader is continuing to seek a diplomatic end to the war in Ukraine – and is threatening economic sanctions if Putin continues to snub Volodymyr Zelensky.

If the U.S. missed the peace talk deadline, the nation would have been expected to levy secondary tariffs targeting Russia’s key allies India and China. In anticipation of those surcharges, India last night announced it was suspending its orders for Russian oil.

The soon-to-be meeting also marks the first time Putin – or any Russian leader – has visited the U.S. since 2015. The meeting is set to take place in the U.S. state of Alaska (pictured)

The move would deprive the Kremlin of billions in oil revenues to bankroll its occupation and bombardment of Ukraine.

When asked about the deadline, Trump said it was ‘up to’ Putin.

‘It’s going to be up to him [Putin]. We’re going to see what he has to say. It’s going to be up to him. Very disappointed.’

Posting on X, President Zelensky said a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia was still at the forefront of negotiations.

He said: ‘We remain mindful of the need for a real ceasefire. Ukraine is ready for it and there has been no clear public response from Russia yet.’