President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are set to meet on Friday at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska. The summit aims to address the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and seek a potential ceasefire. Notably absent from the meeting will be Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

During a press conference on Thursday, Trump expressed optimism about the summit. He stated, "We have a meeting with President Putin tomorrow. I think it's going to be a good meeting, but the more important meeting will be the second meeting that we're having." Trump indicated that he hopes to include Zelenskyy in future discussions, along with possibly some European leaders.

As the summit approaches, tensions remain high. Russia launched missile and drone attacks on Ukraine overnight, underscoring the urgency of the talks. In a related development, Putin made a stop in Magadan, a port town in far eastern Russia, before heading to Alaska. He is expected to meet with the region's governor, Sergey Nosov.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio commented on the summit preparations, noting the rapid pace at which they have been organized. "They're going very fast because this was put together very quickly, and it’s in Alaska, so we’ve got to get there," he said. Rubio emphasized the importance of the meeting, stating, "We'll see how tomorrow plays out. As the president said, his hope is to interact with Mr. Putin tomorrow and sort of get a sense very quickly and early whether a peace is possible or not."

Rubio also highlighted the conditions necessary for a lasting peace, mentioning that discussions would need to address security guarantees and territorial disputes. He stressed that achieving a ceasefire is critical, saying, "We want there to be a peace, we're going to do everything we can to achieve one, but ultimately, it will be up to Ukraine and Russia to agree to one."

In Ukraine, air raid sirens were heard in Kyiv on the night before the summit, and drones were reported flying over the Poltava and Dnipro regions. The ongoing violence adds to the complexity of the discussions that will take place between Trump and Putin.