A chronology of high issues of Trump and Putin

President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin should meet in person on Friday for the first time in six years when they meet in Anchorage, Alaska.

Here is a story of Trump’s high stake interactions with Putin while being president of the United States:

2015 – Early mutual admiration between Putin and Trump

Mutual admiration was prepared publicly between Putin and Trump at the end of 2015, when Trump presented himself for his first mandate.

In December of the same year, Putin described Trump As being the “absolute leader in the presidential race” and a “very remarkable, talented person, without any doubt.”

President Donald Trump and the president of Russia, Vladimir Putin, serve his hand during a meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany, July 7, 2017. It was their first meeting in person as head of state. (Saul Loeb / AFP via Getty Images)

Trump to hold a historic summit with Putin in Alaska at the end of the Russian-Ukraine war

Trump later told supporters at a rally of Ohio that “it is always a great honor to be so well completed by a man so very respected in his own country and beyond”.

“I have always thought that Russia and the United States should be able to work well with each other to defeat terrorism and restore world peace, not to mention trade and all other advantages derived from mutual respect,” added Trump, said The hill.

2017 – Trump, Putin has the first meeting in person in Germany at the G20 summit

Trump and Putin held their first meeting in person on July 7, 2017 at the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany.

The sit-down lasted more than two hours, during which Trump “supported the Vladimir Putin of Russia in the American elections also mixing the crisis of Syria,” according to a digital report by Fox News at the time.

The secretary of state of the time, Rex Tillerson, said that Trump and Putin “connected very quickly” and had a “positive chemistry”.

2017 – Trump and Putin shake hands at the top of Apec in Vietnam

Trump and Putin were captured on the camera shaking hands in the months later at the Summit of Economic Cooperation in Asia-Pacific (APEC) in Da Nang, Vietnam, November 10, 2017.

President Donald Trump and the president of Russia, Vladimir Putin, shakes hands during a family photo ceremony at the Summit of Economic Cooperation in Asia-Pacific 2017 (APEC) in Da Nang, Vietnam, November 10, 2017. (Russian Presidential Press and Information Office / Handout / Anadolu Agency / Getty Images)

Officials of the White House declared at the time that they would not have an official meeting due to planning problems, The Washington Post reported.

2018 – Summit attracts Trump, Putin to the presidential palace of Finland

Trump and Putin officially met on July 16, 2018 at the presidential palace in Helsinki, Finland on July 16, 2018.

In an interview after the meeting, Putin told Fox News that he and Trump had discussed the Iranian nuclear program and the “situation with North Korea”.

What we know about Trump’s meeting with Vladimir Putin in Alaska

He also said Trump had informed him that his posture is “Crimea is part of Ukraine”.

2019 – Trump says that he had “great discussion” in Osaka, Japan,

Trump told journalists On June 29, 2019, that he and Putin had a “huge discussion” at the G20 summit in Osaka, Japan.

“I think they would like to trade with the United States. And it has an excellent product. They have large land. They have very rich land. And a lot of oil, many minerals and the kind of thing we love,” said Trump at the time. “And I can see the business go out with Russia. We could do well. We are doing very little with Russia, which is ridiculous, frankly. I could therefore see very positive things happen.”

President Donald Trump is shown to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin on the first day of the G20 summit in Osaka, Japan on June 28, 2019. (Kremlin Press Office / Handout / Anadolu Agency / Getty Images)

Trump also told his counterpart not to “meddle” in the 2020 elections when he was in a hurry by a journalist, Fox News Digital wrote at the time.

Trump, who was sitting next to Putin, was asked by a journalist if he said “the Russian president not to get involved in the elections”. Trump, without looking at Putin, replied: “Of course, I will do it. Do not get involved in the elections, president. Do not get involved in the elections.”

2025 – Telephone calls between Trump and Putin as the war in Ukraine are raging on

Trump and Putin have held many telephone calls this year when driving the Friday meeting in Alaska.

Calls took place in February, March, May and June.

Vladimir Putin return home for the first time in a decade

Trump said after his call in May that “Russia and Ukraine will immediately begin negotiations to a cease-fire and, more importantly, the end of the war”.

2025 – Trump and Putin meet for the first time since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022 by Russia

Trump and Putin come together on Friday in Anchorage, Alaska, for the first time in years.

President Donald Trump is advising Air Force One as he leaves for Alaska to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin to negotiate the end of the war in Ukraine, of the Andrews common base in Maryland, Friday, August 15, 2025. (Reuters / Kevin Lamarque)

The raised challenges meeting has been the first American summit since June 2021, which was under the administration of former President Joe Biden. This summit came eight months before Putin saved Ukraine.

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Trump described talks as a “sensation meeting” and clearly said that his priority is to determine whether a cease-fire in Ukraine is possible. Trump predicted earlier this week that he would be able to take this determination in the first “two minutes”.

Fox News Brooke Singman and Associated Press contributed to this report.