Putin declines Ukraine questions as 'historic' Trump-Putin summit opens in Alaska

Alaska [US], August 16 (ANI): Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday (local time) declined to respond to questions about the conflict in Ukraine, CNN reported.

Before his meeting with US President Donald Trump and top aides, members of the press pool shouted questions at Putin about the possibility of a ceasefire. He was seen mouthing and shouting something in their direction, but it was unclear what he said, CNN reported.

The summit meeting between Trump and Putin is underway at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska.

Earlier in the day, the two leaders greeted each other on the red carpet after deplaning their respective presidential aircraft. They shook hands, posed for photographs, but did not take questions from reporters.

In an unusual move, Putin joined Trump in his presidential limo as they departed the tarmac to their meeting, CNN reported.

Before they landed, the White House said the one-on-one meeting that had been planned between the two leaders will now include advisers to the two men. The Russian officials accompanying Putin are foreign policy aide Yury Ushakov and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told CNN.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine's "number one" demand of the Alaska summit is for Russia to agree to a ceasefire.

Only a ceasefire can provide the basis for meaningful peace talks, Ukraine and its European allies said. Following a call between Trump and European leaders on Wednesday (local time), two European diplomats familiar with the matter told CNN that Trump suggested he would push for a ceasefire at today's talks, which are currently underway.

"Everything concerning Ukraine must be discussed exclusively with Ukraine," Zelensky said after Wednesday's call with Trump. "We must prepare a trilateral format for talks."

The White House said that Trump was "Pursuing Peace," and that the meeting between the two leaders was "Historic". (ANI)

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