The state of Alaska in the United States is bracing for the key meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump. The duo will meet at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in the northern part of Anchorage, Alaska, on Friday. The location of their meeting is of significance as it was chosen specially for its neutrality and security requirements available for the Russian leader.
Since Moscow's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Russian airlines have been banned from landing in and flying over the territory of the US. For the same reason, there is a lot of buzz about the route the Russian President could take for his first flight to the US in a decade.
A Russian legal expert has now explained the route the President’s flight might take and the prerequisites for the journey. “To minimise the risk of flying over the territories of third countries, the President of the Russian Federation is highly likely to fly from Chukotka through the Bering Strait. In any case, this option looks the most logical," Vladimir Kanashevsky, head of the Department of Private International Law of the Moscow State Law University, told TASS.
Chukotka is an autonomous territorial division situated in the Russian Far East and is connected to Alaska by the Bering Strait, which is a narrow waterway separating the two landmasses. Though there is no direct air, road, or rail connection, it is possible to even travel across the frozen strait by foot.
Due to the ban, Putin will have to seek a permit for the flight over the territory of the United States and his landing in Alaska. This will be done through diplomatic channels.
Putin’s security details
Putin, who has one of the best security details in the world, will also be guarded by members of the United States’ Secret Service. The summit is taking place inside the largest military base in Alaska and was specially chosen for its security.
According to White House officials who spoke to CNN, the base was the only location that “met the requirements for holding the historic meeting, although the White House hoped to avoid a situation where the Russian dictator and his entourage would be on U.S. military grounds.”
The location also has historical significance. Alaska was colonised by Russia in the 18th century and was bought by the United States in 1867 for $7.2 million. Russia sold the piece of land to pay off a debt that had accumulated during the 1853 Crimean War, where the country lost to Britain, France, and the Ottoman Empire. It officially became part of the US in 1959 and is now the largest state in the country.
