President Donald Trump ‘s face-to-face high-stakes summit with President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday could determine the fate of European security as well as the trajectory of the war in Ukraine. The exclusion of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy already deals a heavy blow to the West’s policy of “nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine.”

It was not initially clear if Putin would speak to the press with Trump after the meeting, but the White House has since confirmed that both leaders will participate in the briefing.

American officials quickly discovered a major snag in planning for the summit: summertime is peak tourist season in Alaska, and options both available and equipped to host the two world leaders were severely limited.

President Donald Trump thinks Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has operated with impunity since he invaded Ukraine, is somehow now ready to come to the table. A hot mic caught Trump suggesting under his breath that Putin was willing to negotiate after the two leaders met in Alaska for a summit.

A lipreader has exclusively told Metro what she claims Donald Trump said to Vladimir Putin at the Alaskan summit that has seen the US President humiliated in the eyes of the world. The leaders exchanged a warm greeting on the tarmac at Elmendorf-Richardson military base near Anchorage around 11am local time (8pm BST).