Alaska Summit: Key Players in the U.S. and Russian Delegations

U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are scheduled to meet at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska on Friday, with the Russian delegation arriving the previous Thursday morning local time.

Both presidents will be accompanied by senior delegations, which will engage in discussions apart from the direct talks between Trump and Putin.

Here’s a look at the key figures who will be participating in the Anchorage meetings.

**Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov**

At 75 years old, Lavrov has held the position of Russia’s foreign minister since 2004. Often characterized as «the stern face of Russian diplomacy,» he is currently navigating his fifth U.S. presidential administration and has reportedly attempted to retire several times without success.

According to the Financial Times, Lavrov, like many senior officials, was unaware of Russia’s comprehensive invasion of Ukraine until 1 a.m. on February 24, 2022.

He met with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in July during the ASEAN forum in Kuala Lumpur, where Rubio relayed his and Trump’s frustrations regarding the peace process’s stagnation.

In June, Lavrov mentioned that Russia was now confronting the Western powers without any allies for the first time in history. “In World War I and II, we had allies. Today we have none on the battlefield, so we must rely on ourselves and avoid showing any weakness,” he stated.

Lavrov has explicitly dismissed any possibility of territorial concessions to Ukraine as a condition for ending the conflict.

**Kirill Dmitriev**

As Russia’s special economic envoy, Dmitriev has played a crucial role in negotiations since the meeting between U.S. and Russian officials in Riyadh on February 18.

The Wall Street Journal noted that Dmitriev has developed a close rapport with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, and the two have been seen together in Moscow on various occasions.

Born in Kyiv, Dmitriev is the CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), holding degrees from Stanford and Harvard, and he previously worked at both Goldman Sachs and McKinsey.

He returned to Russia in 2000 to serve as deputy general director at IBS and later as an investment director for a division of the U.S.-Russia Investment Fund established during Bill Clinton’s presidency.

In January 2017, Dmitriev was found to have met with Erik Prince, a donor to Trump, to forge connections between Trump’s transition team and Moscow. He also met Trump advisor Anthony Scaramucci at the World Economic Forum in Davos during the same month.

**Yuri Ushakov**

Having served as a foreign policy aide to Putin since 2012, Ushakov has previously held positions such as Russia’s ambassador to the OSCE, the U.S., and deputy chief of the government staff.

Involved in Russian foreign policy discussions worldwide, Ushakov has commented and participated in meetings regarding matters related to BRICS, Ukraine, East Asia, the Caucasus, the Middle East, Africa, and Europe.

Characterized as Putin’s «expert on U.S. relations,» Toby T. Gati, who served on the National Security Council under the Clinton administration, stated in Politico that Ushakov would be a generally quiet presence but would occasionally provide critical insights.

On Thursday, Ushakov informed reporters that «the most pressing regional and global issues» would be discussed alongside the Ukraine conflict, with the duration of the meeting depending on the flow of conversation.

**Defense Minister Andrei Belousov**

Andrei Belousov was appointed as defense minister in May 2024, taking over from Sergey Shoigu, who encountered various setbacks during the initial two years of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Belousov, an economist with no prior military experience, is believed to have been appointed to leverage his analytical and bureaucratic skills.

Analysts viewed his appointment as «bad news for the West,» indicating a shift toward a protracted conflict.

He has previously held the roles of Russia’s economic development minister and first deputy prime minister.

**Finance Minister Anton Siluanov**

In office since 2011, Siluanov previously worked as an economist within the ministry and on its board.

He oversees various state organizations, including Rosimushchestvo, responsible for managing seized assets.

In 2024, The Moscow Times reported a record seizure of assets worth 544.7 billion rubles ($6.71 billion) from over 67 companies in sectors like food, real estate, and retail.

Siluanov has criticized efforts to transfer frozen Russian assets to Ukraine, stating that such actions threaten the integrity of the financial system when national bank reserves face political restrictions and freezes.

He asserted that Russia could similarly utilize frozen Western assets for its development.

While Trump is also assembling a high-level delegation for Alaska, it is unlikely that true Russia specialists will be part of the group.

«It’s safe to say that Trump lacks any advisors with expertise in Russia and Ukraine,» commented Eric Rubin, a former U.S. ambassador to Bulgaria during Trump’s first term, to the Financial Times.

Trump’s administration has notably reduced the personnel at the State Department, laying off more than 1,300 employees in July.

A senior official with knowledge of the situation told the Financial Times: “From my perspective, the traditional Washington foreign policy process led by the National Security Council appears largely dysfunctional under this administration.”

Here are the representatives accompanying the U.S. delegation in Anchorage:

**Secretary of State Marco Rubio**

Rubio, a former senator from Florida who has been vocal in criticizing Trump, has gained prominence in the current Trump administration.

Once a strong supporter of Ukraine, he has adjusted his stance to align more closely with the Trump administration’s isolationist perspective and its arguably pro-Russia stance. CNN reports that Rubio has become influential within the White House.

Prior to the Alaska summit, he stated: «To reach a peaceful resolution, we recognize that discussions regarding security assurances and territorial claims are essential.»

«These matters will form a part of a broader dialogue. The President hopes to achieve some cessation of hostilities to enable these conversations,” he added.

“[Trump] sees an opportunity to foster peace,” Rubio remarked. “He will pursue this, and we will find out early in the meeting whether a resolution is achievable.”

**Special Envoy Steve Witkoff**

Witkoff, a former commercial real estate mogul and golf partner of Trump, serves as the special envoy to the Middle East and has visited Russia multiple times since Trump’s inauguration.

Putin reportedly conveyed to Witkoff that he would agree to a complete ceasefire if Ukraine agreed to withdraw from the eastern Donetsk region entirely, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Nevertheless, the German publication BILD stated that Witkoff misunderstood Putin during discussions last week, misrepresenting the terms multiple times.

Witkoff supposedly interpreted Russia’s call for a «peaceful withdrawal» of Ukraine from Kherson and Zaporizhzhia as a suggestion for Russia to withdraw from those areas.

According to a Ukrainian official, «Witkoff doesn’t understand what he’s discussing.»

That sentiment was echoed by an anonymous member of Trump’s first administration, who described him as “a nice guy, but a clumsy and incompetent person. He shouldn’t be handling this solo.”

In May, it was also reported that Witkoff relied on a Kremlin translator for his discussions, opting not to use his own.

**Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick**

A financial supporter of Trump turned cabinet member, Lutnick has vigorously defended Trump’s tariff policies and has been critical of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Lutnick, with no prior experience in foreign policy before joining the Trump administration, was assigned to handle Ukraine in February.

Following Zelensky’s challenging Oval Office meeting with Trump that month, Lutnick characterized the Ukrainian president’s “demands” as “ridiculous.”

“We will not provide security guarantees while you are at war with Russia. This is simply absurd. His requests were unreasonable. The President was patient, but in the end, Zelensky came looking for peace,” he remarked.

He referenced the Oval Office meeting when discussing Canada’s behavior during trade talks: “Imagine coming into this country, sitting in the Oval Office, having received $300 billion in U.S. aid and the first thing you don’t say is thank you. Just say thank you.”

**CIA Director John Ratcliffe**

Ratcliffe, who served as the acting director of national intelligence during Trump’s initial term, has been a strong supporter of Ukraine.

During a Senate hearing in March, he remarked that Ukrainian forces would be willing to fight with “their bare hands” if necessary.

“The Ukrainian military and its people have been underestimated for several years. From my observations, I am convinced they will fight with whatever they have if they do not receive acceptable terms for a long-lasting peace,” he asserted.

After the Trump administration halted intelligence sharing with Ukraine in March, Ratcliffe expressed confidence that this pause would end, stating that the U.S. would support Ukraine in countering aggression.

**Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent**

The billionaire former hedge fund executive will also join the delegation in Alaska.

Bessent mentioned to Bloomberg TV that sanctions against Russia «could either be increased or relaxed» based on the outcomes of Friday’s meeting, urging European nations to align with these strategies.

“It’s time to act decisively,” Bessent stated. “We imposed secondary tariffs on India for acquiring Russian oil, and I foresee that if matters do not progress positively, sanctions or secondary tariffs could be raised.»

“Trump will make it clear to President Putin that all options remain on the table.”