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US President Donald Trump on Friday (local time) landed at the Elmendorf Air Base in Anchorage, Alaska, to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin, CNN reported. Putin has also arrived in Anchorage, according to Russian state media.
The meeting is scheduled at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. As per the CNN, the change-up in the format of today's bilateral meeting -- from a one-on-one to a larger group -- is significant. Trump's one-on-one meetings with Putin during his first term were clouded with mystery. With only a translator inside the room, it was often unclear what exactly was discussed. Aides had a difficult time ascertaining if the two reached any agreements. After one such meeting, in Germany, Trump asked his interpreter to discard his notes. The addition of two aides to today's session -- Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US special envoy Steve Witkoff -- could allow for greater clarity once the meeting concludes, particularly if Russia offers an accounting of events that differs from the US perspective, as per CNN. One of them will also be able to take notes, which is often an essential factor in the real-time record of high-level summits. On Air Force One en route to Alaska, Trump told reporters that he wasn't having the meeting to broker a deal on behalf of Ukraine, but said instead, his goal was getting Putin to the table. He also stopped short of promising security guarantees for Ukraine as part of a deal to end the war. Trump said he spoke to Belarus' President Alexander Lukashenko -- a staunch Putin ally -- ahead of the summit. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who is not attending the meeting, emphasized that Ukraine will be "counting on America." If the summit goes well, Trump has suggested organizing a trilateral meeting with Zelenskyy, which the Ukrainian leader expressed support for, as per CNN. Russian Ambassador to the US, Alexander Darchiev, said he expected a positive outcome but no breakthrough from the Trump-Putin summit, Russian state media RIA Novosti reported, as quoted by CNN. Instead, Moscow expects "constant and gradual movement," Darchiev said, according to RIA. Russian President Putin and his US counterpart Trump would "discuss the entire agenda," RIA quoted Darchiev as saying, without elaborating. The talks will focus on exploring ways to end the Russia-Ukraine war, including ceasefire arrangements, prisoner exchanges, arms-control measures, and possible economic or security guarantees. Trump has vowed to "end the Ukraine war quickly," while Putin is seeking recognition of Russia's territorial gains and relief from Western sanctions. Zelenskyy has refused to surrender territory and hasn't been invited to the summit. The summit's outcome could reshape global energy flows and influence India's import strategy. If a peace deal is reached, India might benefit from reduced energy prices and eased trade pressure. However, a breakdown in talks could keep commodity markets volatile and US trade pressure intact. The meeting's outcome could have significant implications for global markets, with investors awaiting clues about the health of the US economy and potential shifts in US-Russia relations. (ANI)
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