IN THEIR FIRST FACE-TO-FACE MEETING SINCE MOSCOW'S INVASION OF UKRAINE, U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP TRAVELS WEST AND RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN EAST TO MEET IN ALASKA FRIDAY.

WHETHER IT CAN IT CAN LEAD TO A PEACE DEAL MORE THAN 3 1/2 YEARS AFTER MOSCOW'S INVASION - REMAINS TO BE SEEN.

SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, U.S. President:

"Probably in the first two minutes, I'll know exactly whether or not a deal can be made, you know, because that's what I do. I make deals."

IN A DIPLOMATIC SENSE, MANY CONSIDER THE MEETING ALREADY A WIN FOR PUTIN.

SOUNDBITE (English) Don Heflin, Senior Fellow of Diplomatic Practice, Tufts University:

"Just the fact he's been invited to, a world power, like the US, is a big thing. "

SOUNDBITE (English) David Salvo, Alliance for Securing Democracy Managing Director, German Marshall Fund:

"This is a really, really important moment for President Putin to be able to get inside Trump's head again and hopefully, from the Russian perspective, convince Trump that Russia's maximalist demands are what should drive negotiations with Ukraine."

DESPITE THE RISKS, TRUMP SEES VALUE IN MEETING PUTIN IN PERSON.

SOUNDBITE (English) David Salvo, Alliance for Securing Democracy Managing Director, German Marshall Fund:

"President Trump puts a lot of stock in face to face diplomacy and in in his own ability to negotiate. And I think he prefers doing that face to face."

THE EXCLUSION OF UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY FROM THE SUMMIT DEALS A HEAVY BLOW TO THE WEST'S POLICY OF "NOTHING ABOUT UKRAINE WITHOUT UKRAINE".

SOUNDBITE (English) David Salvo, Alliance for Securing Democracy Managing Director, German Marshall Fund:

"That is the big risk that we will simply sell Ukraine down the river. "

ANY SUCCESS IS FAR FROM ASSURED, ESPECIALLY AS RUSSIA AND UKRAINE REMAIN FAR APART IN THEIR DEMANDS FOR PEACE.

SOUNDBITE (English) Don Heflin, Senior Fellow of Diplomatic Practice, Tufts University:

"There'll be a press conference and a handshake and a photo and a statement about something they've agreed on. That's gonna happen for sure. The thing to watch for would be if the next sentence out of their mouth is, and because of this, we're going to have a piece conference in three weeks time and Ukraine will be at the table."

AP Production Tracy Brown