Russian President Putin speeches during their joint press conference with U.S. Persident Donald Trump after their meeing on war in Ukraine at U.S. Air Base In Alaska on August 15, 2025, in Anchorage,

US President Donald Trump has been reportedly ready to cut short talks with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin in Alaska due to Putin's intransigence over his demand to annex the entire Donetsk Oblast. Source: Axios,

Alaska and Crimea remain linked in some ways today, both viewed by some nationalists as historic Russian regions lost by weak leaders – Yeltsin, the first president of independent Russia, is reviled for recognizing Crimea as part of Ukraine after the USSR collapsed.

In a press release on Saturday, the U.S. Coast Guard revealed that its Arctic District sent a C-130J long range surveillance aircraft from Kodiak Island—south of mainland Alaska—on Wednesday to query Chinese research vessels operating in what it called U.S. Arctic waters.

The following is the transcript of an interview with Alaska Sen. Dan Sullivan airing on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" on Aug. 17, 2025.

Halibut Olympia, a Tuesday-night kind of recipe, was part of the planning (if not the eating) at the Friday meeting.

The meeting between President Trump and Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin is taking place in a region rich with significance for Moscow. Once Russian territory, Alaska was sold by Alexander II in 1867 for $7.

Russia's decision to sell Alaska was influenced by its financial struggles following the Crimean War and the desire to strengthen ties with the United States, a fellow rival of Great Britain. Selling Alaska provided Russia with much-needed cash and ensured that Britain would not gain control of the territory.