Dear Focus Reader,

United States President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are meeting today at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, for a high-stakes summit focused on ending the war in Ukraine. The talks began with a bilateral meeting in front of a backdrop reading "Pursuing Peace," followed by discussions with their respective delegations. Neither leader made public remarks as reporters briefly entered the room.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was not invited to attend, though Trump said Thursday he hoped the Alaska meeting would lead to a second summit involving himself, Putin, Zelenskyy, and possibly European leaders. "I think it's going to be a good meeting, but the more important meeting will be the second meeting that we're having," Trump said.

Earlier this week, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it was "glad to see Russia and the U.S. keep in contact, improve their relations, and advance the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis."

The summit follows trade developments between Washington and Beijing, with the U.S. extending its trade truce with China for another 90 days, delaying tariff increases on Chinese imports until November 10. Beijing responded by suspending additional tariffs on U.S. goods for the same period, prompting rallies in global markets, particularly in Japan and Australia. The extension is seen by some analysts as a window to work toward a broader trade agreement.

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