For 24 hours, the city of Anchorage in Alaska will be the center of the diplomatic world. The leaders of the United States and Russia meet there this Friday, August 15 for the first time in six years, to negotiate a possible end of the conflict in Ukraine.
Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump will discuss the military base of Elmendorf at the exit of the city. An immense site, which is three times greater than Paris, but that is mostly ultra, which will allow the two presidents to remain in the military base.
Then, ten kilometers away, nothing suggests the arrival of the president of the United States and his Russian counterpart for discussions with a historical issue. No security device is displayed in the streets of the city center. On the other hand, behind the scene, the signals do not deceive and suggest a certain effervescence.
For example, a real estate agent rented a secret service in Express, responsible for the protection of Donald Trump. “They discovered on a tweet that had to go to Alaska,” says Beau Disbrow. “They were panic to try to house all their agents. The next day, it was the Russians who called me: they wanted to rent the same house.”
“It should be stopped!”
And although the anchor seems calm, a few hours before the summit, the dissonant voices are heard. Hundreds of Alaskians gathered to denounce the arrival of Vladimir Putin in the territory. The American and Ukrainian flags are shown along with posters against the head of the Kremlin, describing him as a “war criminal” or suggesting that he makes Donald Trump his puppet.
“That our president invites it, it is a shame,” says a protester. “This is not what our country represents. Our country must defend peace.”
“It should be stopped!” Add another activist. “But there, it is welcome, and in a military base in addition! It is shocking!”
Vladimir Putin is in the coup of an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court since March 2023, which should be forbidden to step on any involuntary land. However, the United States, like Russians, does not recognize this jurisdiction.
Very vocal regarding his opposition to the International Criminal Court during his first term, Donald Trump accused the jurisdiction on February 6 of having “initiated illegal and unfounded actions against the United States and our ally of Israel” in a controversial decree during his second presidency.
In this context, the risk of arrest when the Russian president arrives in Anchorage seems zero. Despite this, protesters have not planned to give up and plan to hear their voice. Other mobilizations are scheduled for this Friday outside the summit.
Source: BFM TV
