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Additional printouts included a roster of American and Russian officials expected to attend an expanded meeting, complete with photos. Incredibly, aides were even given instructions on how to pronounce Putin’s name: “POO-tihn.”
The papers also revealed that Trump had planned to present Putin with a bald eagle desk statue — a symbolic gesture of American strength and pride. The same packet listed direct phone numbers for several advance staffers who had been working around the clock to organize the summit.
Although the White House had already disclosed most of the official agenda, the leak still raised eyebrows because many of those events were either shortened or canceled altogether. That shift came after Trump scrapped his initial plan to push for a quick cease-fire and instead focused on securing a broader peace agreement.
Looking ahead, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is scheduled to visit Washington on Monday to continue discussions. Reports indicate that Putin has floated a controversial proposal — Ukraine ceding what remains of Donetsk province in exchange for a multinational peacekeeping force led by British and French troops.
Despite the leaked documents dominating headlines, Trump struck an optimistic tone following the summit. In a social media post, he praised the progress made during his talks with Putin as well as his late-night phone calls with Zelensky and NATO leaders.
“A great and very successful day in Alaska! The meeting with President Vladimir Putin of Russia went very well, as did a late night phone call with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine, and various European Leaders, including the highly respected Secretary General of NATO,” Trump wrote.
“It was determined by all that the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a Peace Agreement, which would end the war, and not a mere Ceasefire Agreement, which often times do not hold up,” he continued.
“President Zelenskyy will be coming to D.C., the Oval Office, on Monday afternoon. If all works out, we will then schedule a meeting with President Putin. Potentially, millions of people’s lives will be saved,” Trump added, closing with: “Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
At a joint press conference earlier in the day at Elmendorf-Richardson Air Force Base, Putin went a step further, backing up Trump’s repeated assertion that the Ukraine war would never have started had Trump been in the White House instead of Joe Biden.
“I can confirm that,” Putin told reporters.
Trump has never wavered in this claim, arguing throughout his campaign and into his presidency that Biden’s weak leadership created the environment that allowed Russia to invade Ukraine. Critics, of course, accuse Trump of giving Putin too much credibility, but his supporters argue that his track record speaks for itself — zero wars started under his leadership.
With Zelensky headed to Washington and a potential follow-up meeting with Putin on the horizon, Trump’s Alaska summit may mark the beginning of a breakthrough. Whether the media obsesses over a hotel printer mishap or not, the real story may be the chance to finally end a bloody war that has dragged on for more than three years.
