Top US, Russian diplomats speak ahead of Trump-Putin summit

By Rabia Iclal Turan

WASHINGTON (AA) - US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to prepare for Friday’s planned summit between President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, the State Department said on Tuesday.

Spokesperson Tammy Bruce told reporters that both sides “confirmed their commitment to a successful event” during the call, which focused on arrangements for the talks in Alaska.

The White House has described the meeting as a “listening exercise” for Trump, with spokesperson Karoline Leavitt saying the president’s goal is to gain “a better understanding of how we can end this war” in Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has not been invited, with Leavitt noting the sit-down is taking place at Putin’s request.

The meeting will be the first between sitting Russian and US presidents since June 2021 and the first visit by a Russian president to Alaska since the territory was sold by the Russian Empire to the US in 1867.