Anchorage — US President Donald Trump’s summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska is set to take on an added layer of military weight with the confirmed attendance of two of Washington’s most senior defense leaders. The meeting, scheduled for Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, comes at a critical moment in the Ukraine conflict and amid growing debate over the direction of US foreign policy in Eastern Europe.
Belarusian president Aleksandr Lukashenko has invited Trump and his family to visit Minsk, delivering the offer during a phone conversation while the US president was en route to Anchorage. The discussion, according to official accounts, covered bilateral relations, regional security, and the potential release of 1,300 prisoners in Belarus as a goodwill gesture. Trump reportedly accepted the invitation, signaling a willingness to engage directly with one of Moscow’s closest allies.
In a separate development, Belarusian and Russian media have highlighted that the Alaska summit will be attended by Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth and General Charles Q. Brown Jr., the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The presence of both leaders underscores the strategic and security dimensions of the talks, which are expected to cover arms control, Arctic military positioning, and the trajectory of the war in Ukraine. According to Gazeta, Brown has already arrived in Alaska, while Hegseth is traveling separately to join the summit.
Meanwhile, US media have reported that both Hegseth and Brown will take part in key portions of Trump’s meeting with Putin, reflecting what officials describe as an “all-of-government” approach to the negotiations. This structure is intended to ensure that military and diplomatic strategies are coordinated as Washington seeks to test Moscow’s willingness to make concessions. The Wall Street Journal noted that their attendance is likely to be pivotal in discussions on Ukraine and in shaping any subsequent agreements that may emerge from the summit.
