Trump To Bring ‘Putin Whisperer’ Golf Buddy to High Stakes Meeting
When President Donald Trump convenes with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, in Alaska on Friday, many anticipate that a trusted aide and experienced foreign policy expert will accompany him.
The White House has disclosed the complete list of the delegation heading to Alaska, where a summit between US President Donald Trump and Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin is anticipated today. Notably, Trump will be joined by his “right-hand man”—Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The additional members include: Secretary of State Marco Rubio; Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent; Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick; Special Envoy Steve Witkoff; Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt; CIA Director John Ratcliffe; White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles.
Witkoff, a long-time associate of Trump since the 1980s and his occasional golf companion, has been referred to as the “Putin whisperer” after meeting with the Russian leader four times since January, as reported by the Daily Mail.
“The planned meeting between US President Donald Trump and Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin is scheduled for Friday at 11:00 AM local time (10:00 PM Kyiv time) in Anchorage. According to two senior officials from the US administration, Trump is expected to extend a warm welcome upon Putin’s arrival at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson on Friday and intends to greet the Russian leader personally upon his arrival,” the report stated.
“US Secretary of State Marco Rubio cautioned that a comprehensive resolution to conclude the war in Ukraine would require more time than the meeting between Trump and Putin in Alaska. The press secretary for the Russian dictator, Dmitry Peskov, asserted that Trump and Putin do not intend to sign any documents following their discussions in Alaska,” the outlet further added.
Friday’s summit — which will not feature Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky — represents the most significant diplomatic engagement between the U.S. and Russia since the onset of the war in 2022, as noted by the Daily Mail.
On Thursday, Putin convened with Kremlin officials and commended Trump, expressing his belief that the president was making “quite energetic and sincere efforts” to foster peace in the region.
The Russian leader indicated that enduring peace might be achievable if the U.S. consented to incorporate strategic offensive weapons treaties in the forthcoming negotiations.
In the meantime, various outlets reported on Friday morning that Air Force One had left Joint Base Andrews, transporting President Trump to Alaska.
Since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russia has faced a series of Western sanctions; however, substantial military expenditure and the acquisition of new oil customers have sustained its economy.
Sanctions have specifically targeted the nation’s profitable energy exports in an attempt to strain the Kremlin’s financial resources. For example, the European Union imposed a ban on seaborne imports of Russian crude oil in late 2022, as noted by CNN.
Moscow has adjusted by redirecting significant quantities of oil to India and China. Nevertheless, Trump’s threats to implement so-called secondary sanctions — additional tariffs on purchasers of Russian oil — could jeopardize those trading arrangements.
Trump has cautioned that beginning at the end of August, he will enforce a 25% tariff on Indian exports to the U.S. as retribution for New Delhi’s trade with Moscow — in addition to the 25% levy he established last week. India has justified its Russian oil acquisitions as essential for ensuring energy security for its 1.4 billion citizens.
Should secondary sanctions ultimately compel buyers of Russian energy to pursue alternative suppliers, it could inflict a significant setback on the Kremlin, CNN added.
Expectations are elevated for the upcoming meeting. “A possible joint news conference featuring Trump and Putin — which may or may not occur following their one-on-one discussion — is anticipated to be an ‘extraordinary spectacle,’” CNN reported, citing its chief global affairs correspondent Matthew Chance from Alaska.
Russian President Vladimir Putin praised the Trump administration’s “dynamic” initiatives to resolve the conflict in Ukraine. He suggested that Moscow and Washington might come to an agreement regarding nuclear arms limitation during their summit in Alaska on Friday afternoon.
In his initial public remarks since President Donald Trump declared the Alaska summit, Putin convened a meeting with senior Russian officials at the Kremlin on Thursday to brief them on the current status of negotiations with the US concerning Ukraine.