Trump, Putin Set To Meet At Elmendorf-Richardson Joint Base: All About Alaska’s Military Field

Last Updated:August 15, 2025, 21:49 IST

Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin will meet in Anchorage, Alaska, for a summit on Ukraine, marking their first meeting in seven years.

Both the Presidents will meet at the remote Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska.

US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are set to meet for the first time in seven years on Friday (local time) in Anchorage, the largest city in Alaska, in a high-stake summit that could prove to be a pivotal moment in deciding the future of conflict-torn Ukraine.

Both the Presidents will meet at the remote Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska, which plays host to some of America’s most fearsome fighter jets. It has been visited by several US presidents in the past.

Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska’s largest military base, combines the Air Force’s Elmendorf base with the US Army’s Fort Richardson.

The summit marks a significant moment in the months-long efforts by the United States to broker a peace between Russia and Ukraine. Putin, while praising Trump’s mediation efforts, has shown no signs of compromise as Moscow intensified its campaign against Ukraine, frustrating the US President.

The Alaska summit will be closely watched by European leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who has publicly refused pressure from Trump to cede swathes of territory seized by Russia. Zelenskyy also called the Alaska summit a “personal victory" for Putin.

What Does Alaska Symbolise Beyond Logistics?

Alaska was colonised by Russia from the 18th century until Czar Alexander II sold it to the US in 1867 for $7.2 million. It later became a Cold War forward edge of missile defence, radar outposts, and intelligence gathering, “East meets West" literally and strategically. Russian state agency Tass noted it would be the first-ever visit by a Russian leader to Alaska.

All About The Base

The Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage combines the Air Force’s Elmendorf base and the US Army’s Fort Richardson.

It is Alaska’s largest military base and is home to more than 32,000 people – about 10% of Anchorage’s population, as per Independent.

The mission of the base was to defend US interests in the Asia-Pacific region. It had strategic importance during the Cold War as the closest point between Alaska and Russia, lying just 4.8km (3 miles) apart.

The military base has received a number of visits from multiple US president.

It is Trump’s first visit to Alaska since his second term began in January 2025, but during his first term he made a number of visits to Elmendorf-Richardson.

Barack Obama visited in 2015 and during a three-day stay he became the first US president to set foot north of the Arctic Circle.

In 2023 Joe Biden visited the base for a remembrance ceremony for the 9/11 terrorist attack in 2001.

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Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)

News world Trump, Putin Set To Meet At Elmendorf-Richardson Joint Base: All About Alaska’s Military Field

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