NBC News: Putin will be welcomed with a red carpet in Alaska

Russian dictator Vladimir Putin is to be welcomed in Alaska with festivities. This was reported by NBC News, citing two unnamed U.S. officials with knowledge of the matter.

US President Donald Trump is expected to roll out the red carpet for the Russian dictator's arrival at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson on Friday. The US leader plans to personally greet Putin upon arrival.

Officials emphasized that the exact details and procedures for the meeting are being finalized.

As of Thursday evening, according to a third senior administration official, Trump is not expected to call President Volodymyr Zelenskiy or European leaders before Friday's meeting. It is unclear, however, whether that could change during his seven-hour flight from Washington to Alaska.

• Trump will meet with Putin in Alaska on August 15. The venue for the summit is the military base in Anchorage, which was used to counter the Soviet Union at the height of the Cold War. It starts at 22:00 Kyiv time.
• Merz hopes that after the Alaska summit Putin will agree to negotiate with Ukraine without any conditions.