Putin returns escorted by US fighters after summit with Trump

The plane of Russian President, Vladimir Putin, was escorted from Alaska by American F-22 fighter jets to the Russian region of Chukotka, where the leader met this Saturday with the local governor, Vladislav Kuznetsov. The air escort took place after the summit between Putin and the US president, Donald Trump, held on Friday in Alaska. According to Russian sources, the gesture was interpreted as a sign of cooperation amid a complex international context. Media, officials, and experts in Moscow reacted with optimism to the bilateral dialogue, which they described as “a big step towards the normalization of relations and a diplomatic victory for Moscow, which is emerging from international isolation, despite not having reached agreements.” During the meeting, Putin reiterated his position on the conflict in Ukraine. The Russian leader assured that he is “sincerely interested in ending” the war, but insisted that any agreement must have “a solid and lasting character, so that the causes that originated it are eliminated”.

For his part, Trump used his Truth Social network to assess the summit: “A great and very successful day in Alaska! The meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin was very successful, as was a late-night phone call with Ukrainian President Zelensky, and several European leaders, including the respected Secretary General of NATO,” he wrote.

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Trump also confirmed that President Zelensky will visit Washington D.C. on Monday afternoon. “If all goes well, we will schedule a meeting with President Putin. Potentially, millions of lives will be saved. Thank you for your attention!”, he added. From Kyiv, Volodymyr Zelensky had anticipated the meeting: “On Monday I will meet with President Trump in Washington to discuss all the details related to ending the killings and the war. I am grateful for the invitation.” The Ukrainian leader specified that he had a “long and substantive conversation with Trump,” which lasted for more than an hour and a half and included European leaders.