The two leaders are meeting in-person for the first time since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin head to Alaska on Friday for a high-stakes summit as the U.S. seeks a ceasefire in the Russia-Ukraine war.

LONDON (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday praised U.S. President Donald Trump’s efforts to end the war in Ukraine, more than three years after Moscow launched its invasion, as the two leaders prepared for a pivotal U.S.–Russia summit Friday in Alaska.