Never before has Anchorage, the largest city in Alaska, seen such a bustling and tense scene as these days. Since the beginning of the week, each US special mission team, federal police, and Russian security forces have rushed here, turning Anchorage into a "fortress" for the summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, taking place on August 15 (early morning of August 16, Vietnam time) at the Elmendorf-Richardson Joint Stock Company Station.
A surprise call from the US Secret Service stunned Beau Disbrow, a real estate broker in Anchorage. Instead of tourists or businessmen, this time he was asked to arrange accommodation for the President's security forces.
Most of my rental houses are full, but I managed to find a few for them to live in, Disbrow said. Immediately afterwards, staff at the Russian consulate in New York also came to him with a similar request.
Behind those emergency calls was a security campaign prepared in record time just a week since Trump suddenly announced the summit location. Because it takes place in the US, the Secret Service has full authority to deploy weapons, communication equipment, medical equipment... without being bound by international procedures. However, geographical location and infrastructure in Alaska pose their own challenges.
Peak tourist season, "room and car"
Anchorage is in the peak tourist season, hotels are full, and rental cars are scarce. Dozens of SUVs serving the convoy of escorted vehicles must be transported from other states by transport aircraft. Vehicles, equipment, and even personnel were dispatched from all over the United States and the state to meet security requirements.
Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy admitted that the military base meeting helped relieve a lot of pressure, because Elmendorf-Richardson not only had a controlled airspace and solid gates, but was also within the readiness of military units.
The principle of "absolutely equal"
For bilateral meetings, the US State Department applies the if back rule: Each gesture and ritual for a leader must be performed similarly to the other leader. That means Russian security guarantees Mr. Putin's direct safety, while the US Secret Service sets up an external protection zone.
If 10 US agents stand in front of the meeting room, 10 Russian agents will stand opposite. The number of translations, safe lounges, even the size of each room... were all carefully negotiated.
Neither side opened the car door or escorted the opposing leader. The convoy, travel routes and schedules are detailed so that the two leaders do not meet outside of official times, but still ensure the highest level of protection.
Hundreds of agents are present across Anchorage. Special forces wear vests and headphones at intersections, while groups of people often dress up and wade through coffee shops and parking lots. Alaska state police and local forces joined in protecting the route.
Conference schedule and components
President Donald Trump described this as a "tershow" meeting to find a solution to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict, not excluding the possibility of negotiating a change of territory for a ceasefire. Meanwhile, Mr. Putin praised Mr. Trump's efforts, and gave signals of economic cooperation and a new arms control treaty.
The meeting is scheduled to start at 11:00 a.m. local time on August 15 (2:00 a.m. on August 16, Vietnam time). The two leaders began with a private meeting, with only interpreters participating.
Then there was the expanded meeting. The US side includes: President Donald Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff.
The Russian delegation included: President Vladimir Putin, Defense Minister Andrey Belousov, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Finance Minister Anton Siluano, Assistant to President Yuri Ushkov and Special Envoy of President Kirill Dmitriev.
