A plane carrying over 50 Kremlin-accredited journalists and members of the Russian delegation touched down at Anchorage International Airport, Alaska, at 15:20 local time on August 14 (02:20 Moscow time, August 15). This marks the first visit by the Russian presidential press pool to the United States since 2015, when President Vladimir Putin attended the UN General Assembly.
The trip follows a surprise announcement of a bilateral meeting between Presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump. The meeting was confirmed after US Presidential Special Representative Steve Witkoff visited Moscow on August 6, and the venue was swiftly chosen to be Alaska. Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov later confirmed that the summit would take place on August 15.
Tight Preparations and Visa Approvals
The preparations for the visit were unusually rapid. Journalists received US visas within just one day from the embassy in Moscow. Interviews were quick, often focusing on the applicant’s professional background. Concerns arose over passports containing visas from countries such as North Korea or Iran, but in the end, these did not prevent most from being approved.
Visas were granted for single entry until November for print and online journalists, while some television correspondents received three-day visas—sufficient for the event’s duration.
Health Protocols and Last-Minute Changes
Stringent COVID-19 measures were in place. All attendees had to take two PCR tests—one a day before departure and another on the day of departure. Several journalists were removed from the flight after positive results, replaced by “reserve” reporters who had gone through the full visa and testing process in case of such scenarios.
Journey to Alaska
The 10-hour flight aboard an Il-96 carried Kremlin pool journalists, television crews, and delegation members. Television teams took advantage of the long journey to record stand-ups mid-flight. The announcement by the pilot that the aircraft had entered US airspace created a buzz among those on board.
Delegation Members
The Russian delegation includes Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, presidential aide Yuri Ushakov, Defense Minister Andrei Belousov, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov, and Kirill Dmitriev, the president’s special representative for investment and international economic cooperation.
Before arriving in Alaska, President Putin made a stop in Magadan for official events.