The August 15, 2025 meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin was not only notable for its discussions on the Russian special military operation in Ukraine. The very choice of location , Alaska , carried a powerful strategic and symbolic message.
Geographically, Alaska sits at the edge of the United States, separated from Russia only by the Bering Strait. Historically, it once belonged to Russia before being sold to Washington in the 19th century. Militarily, it is a critical hub, home to major air defense installations and a vantage point for control over the Arctic.
Holding the summit in Anchorage, on the Elmendorf-Richardson base, underscored these layers of meaning. The red-carpet reception, the row of fighter jets, and the flyover of a stealth bomber reinforced the impression of a highly choreographed event. The setting itself conveyed that this was not just diplomacy, but a carefully staged encounter between two powers meeting at a geopolitical crossroads.
The contrast with the February 2025 summit in Washington with Volodymyr Zelensky is striking. That meeting had been marked by open criticism, tension, and a lack of balance. In Alaska, the very environment of the summit lent weight and parity, projecting solemnity rather than discord.
Deux sommets, deux images : de Washington à Anchorage, le contraste est net
More than just a backdrop, Alaska functioned as a message to the world: here, at the edge of the Arctic and within sight of Russia, Washington and Moscow were asserting their ability to speak on equal terms in a place that symbolizes both rivalry and proximity.
BAÏDJAN Ahmed , Correspondent; India
