Trump and Putin begin high-stakes talks aimed at 'pursuing peace'

US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin have begun face-to-face talks in Alaska for a high-stakes summit that is expected to directly impact the trajectory of the conflict in Ukraine.

The meeting at the Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska is the first meeting between US and Russian heads of state since the Russia-Ukraine conflict erupted in February 2022.

Ahead of the talks, Trump greeted Putin on a red carpet on the tarmac of a US Air Force base. They exchanged a warm handshake and touched each other on the arm before riding in Trump's limo to the summit site nearby.

Instead of the previously announced one-on-one meeting with Putin, Trump held a meeting that also included US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trump's special envoy to Russia Steve Witkoff, foreign policy aide Yury Ushakov, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

A blue backdrop behind them bore the words "Pursuing Peace".

Earlier Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who was not invited to the summit, expressed his hope that the meeting between Trump and Putin in Alaska could pave the way for three-way talks.

"The key thing is that this meeting should open up a real path toward a just peace and a substantive discussion between leaders in a trilateral format -- Ukraine, the United States, and the Russian side," Zelensky wrote on X.

Dozens of television reporters and cameras crews were standing outside the main gate to the military base Friday morning.

Two uniformed officers cautioned reporters to photograph within a blue line through the four-lane road. Officer Haig reminded reporters to be aware of wild animals, as a large black bear was seen near the gate in a wooded area on Thursday.