During a visit to Alaska, Russian President Vladimir Putin was questioned by a journalist, to which Putin responded with a gesture. Putin’s plane had landed at Elmendorf-Richardson Airbase. After walking down a long red carpet, Putin met with Trump, who was waiting for him. Moments later, when they appeared before the cameras, Putin faced a barrage of questions.
At this point, a journalist asked Putin if he would stop the killings of civilians. Putin smiled and gestured towards his ear, indicating that he couldn’t hear the question. At the airport, as Trump and Putin met, a formation of US military aircraft flew overhead, including fighter jets and a B-2 stealth bomber.
Trump greeted Putin and led him to his car, nicknamed ‘The Beast.’ Instead of traveling in his Russian convoy, Putin joined Trump in ‘The Beast.’ This marked Putin’s first visit to America in 10 years.
During a conversation with Trump in Alaska, Putin stated that the conflict with Ukraine would not have started if Donald Trump had been the US president in 2022. Putin mentioned that the previous period had been difficult for US-Russia relations and that it was now crucial to improve the situation.
In February 2022, Putin ordered the deployment of 200,000 troops to Ukraine, with the aim of overthrowing the government within days. Putin aimed to bring Ukraine back into Russia’s sphere of influence but was unsuccessful. However, Russia has managed to seize control of 22% of Ukraine in the past three years.
Putin’s Conditions for Ending the War:
1. Ukraine’s foreign and defense policies must align with Russia’s interests after the war.
2. Russia will not relinquish control of the occupied territories (Luhansk, Kherson, Crimea).
3. Ukraine must not be granted NATO membership.
4. Sanctions imposed by Western countries must be lifted.
5. Russia seeks new deals with American and Western companies to boost its economy.