Trump and Putin end their meeting that started with a warm handshake belying bloodshed in Ukraine
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska: President Donald Trump and Russia’s Vladimir Putin met for about 2 1/2 hours on Friday, a summit in Alaska that started with a handshake, a smile and a ride in the presidential limousine — an unusually warm reception for a US adversary responsible for launching the largest land war in Europe since 1945.
Trump and Putin met behind closed doors with top advisers on efforts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine. When they greeted each other, they gripped hands for an extended period of time on a red carpet rolled out at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage. As they chatted, Putin grinned and pointed skyward, where B-2s and F-22s — military aircraft designed to oppose Russia during the Cold War — flew overhead.
Reporters nearby yelled, “President Putin, will you stop killing civilians?” and Russia’s leader put his hand up to his ear as though to indicate he couldn’t hear them. Trump and Putin then shared the US presidential limo known as “The Beast” for a short ride to their meeting site, with Putin offering a broad smile as the vehicle rolled past the cameras.
