https://www.newsnationnow.com/world/russia-at-war/alaska-to-take-center-stage-at-trump-putin-summit
Alaska will take a rare step into the spotlight as it plays host to the high-stakes summit between President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday, creating a key backdrop for a meeting the administration hopes will open a path towards ending the Ukraine war.The 49th state has usually taken a place on the periphery of U.S. national politics, especially in recent years. But the setting here is notable as Trump and Putin descend on the former Russian colony for a meeting the former has long sought as part of his promises to end the fighting in Eastern Europe.
Alaskans believe it is fitting that talks between the two nations will come to their shores.
“You can see the impact of Russian colonialism on Alaska to this day,” said Brandon Boylan, a political science professor at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
“If President Trump was going to host President Putin in the U.S. and it wasn’t going to be at the White House, I’m actually not surprised it’s here in Alaska, given the very rich history that Alaska has between the two states,” Boylan said.
Despite its far-flung location, Alaska has played host to a number of key meetings throughout the years, headlined most recently by talks in 2021 between the Biden administration and Chinese officials that were punctuated by heated back-and-forths and angry words.
In 1984, former President Reagan met with Pope John Paul II in Fairbanks amid the push to defeat the Soviet Union. Former President Nixon also met with Emperor Hirohito of Japan in 1971 in Anchorage.
But the upcoming sit-down with Putin may take the cake as most high-profile, given the lengthy history between Alaska and Russia. The first Russian settlers arrived in Alaska during the 18th century, with the Russian Empire laying claim to it starting in 1732. Alaska eventually became part of what was known as Russian America in 1799.
Eventually, Alexander II sold Alaska to the U.S. for $7.2 million over fears that it would be conquered and taken over by the British. The sale was routinely mocked in Russian culture well into the 20th century as Alaskan riches and natural resources only became clear in the years after.
Its roughly 50-mile proximity to Russia coupled with important roles on numerous fronts, including energy, puts Alaska in a prime spot to host the summit.
