US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin have met on the red carpet in Anchorage, Alaska, for the first time in more than six years, ahead of high-stakes private talks.
Both leaders stepped off their respective aircraft at Elmendorf-Richardson military base to meet in the centre of a specially rolled-out red carpet that connected each plane.
Trump, smiling broadly, even applauded as the Russian president approached. The pair shook hands warmly and exchanged pleasantries before posing for the assembled global media.
The handshake marked the start of the US–Russia summit, which will begin with a one-on-one closed-door meeting attended only by translators, followed by a working lunch with senior officials from both delegations.
Trump is joined by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and White House Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, while Putin is accompanied by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and presidential aide Yuri Ushakov.