Trump said he agreed with Putin that the best way to end the war was to go to a peace settlement - not via a ceasefire, as Ukraine and its European allies, until now with U.S. support, have been demanding.

Both President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin delivered brief remarks, but took no questions, in Alaska.

President Trump referred to the authoritarian ruler of Belarus, who has been isolated by the West for years, “the highly respected President.”

Of the previous encounters between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, none drew more scrutiny than their summit seven years ago in Helsinki. The two men secluded themselves for hours, with no advisers in attendance.

The summit comes after a string of deals the White House said Trump has helped broker globally that should earn him something he has long desired -- a Nobel Peace Prize.

U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin were both in the air early Friday en route to their highly anticipated Ukraine summit in Alaska

The last time President Donald Trump shared a room with Vladimir Putin, their relationship — perhaps the most scrutinized association of any two people in the entire world — was enjoying an upswing.

President Donald Trump warned that "severe consequences" lie ahead for Russia if Russian President Vladimir Putin doesn't agree to stop the Ukraine war after they meet for a high-stakes summit in Alaska on Friday.