The US-Russia summit lets Putin get back to the top table of international diplomacy and thumb his nose at critics. Here’s what else he stands to gain.

Sentiment toward Russia in Alaska has cooled since Putin invaded Ukraine in 2022. The Anchorage Assembly voted unanimously to suspend its three-decade-long sister city relationship with Magadan, Russia, and the Juneau Assembly sent its sister city of Vladivostok a letter expressing concern.

President Donald Trump sought to lower expectations for his scheduled meeting in Alaska on Friday with Russian President Vladimir Putin, telling reporters that a second meeting that would include Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky would be more consequential.