US Treasury Secretary: Inviting Putin to Alaska was show of force
Photo: US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (Getty Images)
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called President Donald Trump’s meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Alaska a "show of force," noting that the territory once belonged to Russia, CNN reports.
"Alaska was a show of force by President Trump. He invited President Putin to land the Russians used to own. He displayed a huge amount of military hardware and then did a flyover. It was kind of like inviting your uncontrollable neighbor to your house and showing him your gun case," Bessent said.
His comments came after Trump hosted Putin in Alaska on Friday, then met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and several European leaders at the White House on Monday.
Bessent described his meeting with Zelenskyy’s team as "very good," lasting about an hour and a half. He called European leaders an "incredible group".
"My strong belief is that there will be a bilateral meeting between President Putin and President Zelensky. And that’s the only way to end this conflict is to get the two sides talking," the Secretary added.
Trump and Putin met on August 15 in Anchorage, Alaska, with the war in Ukraine as the main topic. Trump said no ceasefire agreement was reached, and further steps depend on Zelenskyy.
At the meeting, Putin presented a series of demands: recognition of Crimea as part of Russia, withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from Donbas, freezing the front line in Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, lifting some sanctions, and Ukraine abandoning its NATO bid.
Afterward, Trump said he planned to meet with Zelenskyy and European leaders to discuss next steps. That meeting took place on August 18, followed by a phone call to Putin to arrange the next meeting.
Zelenskyy and Putin meeting
Trump said Putin agreed to meet with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy.
The location of the future summit will be announced soon. Trump emphasized that a trilateral summit including him is planned afterward, potentially as a step toward ending the Russia-Ukraine war.
Media speculation is growing about the summit location. French President Emmanuel Macron prefers Geneva, while Turkish President Recep Erdoğan has repeatedly offered Türkiye. Reports also suggest Hungary or Rome as possible venues.
