As US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin prepare to meet today, a trio of Russian widebody Ilyushin IL-96-300 aircraft have landed in Alaska with Putin now en route to a summit ostensibly focused on ending the war in Ukraine.
Russian IL-96 Aircraft Arrive in Alaska As Trump + Putin Prepare To Meet Over Ukraine
Later today, Trump and Putin will meet at Joint Base Elmendorf–Richardson in Anchorage to discuss Ukraine and economic relations between the two nations. Ahead of the meeting, three Russian widebody IL-96 jets have arrived in Alaska, with Putin set to arrive later today after visiting the Russian Far East city of Magadan.
It will be an interesting day in terms of protocol:
State Department protocol is shaping much of the plan.
In a bilateral meeting, officials said, reciprocity rules mean every courtesy extended to one leader must be matched for the other.
Russian security will control Putin’s immediate movements while the Secret Service maintains an outer ring.
Neither side will open the other’s doors or ride in the other’s vehicles. If 10 US agents are posted outside a meeting room, 10 Russian agents will stand on the other side. Everything is matched body for body, gun for gun, one person said.
That symmetry will extend from the arrival motorcade to the placement of translators in the room. Both sides will bring their own language teams. Even the number and size of hold rooms — secure waiting areas for each leader — are being negotiated.
The Secret Service is still waiting for Russia to formally approve the full security plan, the people said.
Drawing inspiration from its French counterparts, ATC greeted the inbound aircraft with a “Free Ukraine” instruction. 😉 <sarcarsm>
One Mile At A Time shared a video of what Putin’s IL-96 may look like onboard:
As an aside, I still hope to fly the IL-96 one day on Cubana, though the Trump Administration has made that a bit harder and the aircraft has not operated for a couple of months…Hopefully I am not too late…
> Read More: Any Interest In A Cubana IL-96 Trip Report?
CONCLUSION
I’m not putting much hope in today’s meetings, especially when Ukraine is not present, but I think we all hope (somehow, someway) this three-year conflict in Ukraine will soon come to an end. In the meantime, it will be a rare sight to see so many Russian aricraft in Alaska…a reminder of what may have been if not for “Seward’s Folly,” the derogatory nickname given to the United States’ purchase of Alaska from Russia in 1867.
image: Adam Moreira
If Trump really wants a Nobel Peace Prize, he should have Putin arrested the moment he steps off the plane. Nobody is Russia would shed any tears – they would rejoice and all start singing “ding dong the witch is dead” like Munchkins.
I’m serious.
Perhaps Putin will post to his travel blog, “Great Coffee in Anchorage.”
Because, really, nothing is going to come of this. Trump lands around 11am and is returning at 5PM. In six hours he wants to negotiate a peace treaty in which one country invaded another and has murdered citizens of a sovereign nation for over three years. But, of course, Trump believes he will in six hours negotiate a big and beautiful treaty.
Reminds me of the old Stripes movie…”It’s like going to Wisconsin, you zip in and zip out.” What a sh$t show.
Still a Top 10 movie all time!
PJ Soles and Sean Young were so hot! Any straight young man in the 80’s was into them.
Meanwhile Aaron would have loved Warren Oates to have his way with him. “Come on Sgt Hulka, give me 10”!
Your closeted lust for…er, obsession with me is kind of gross at this point. But hey, whatever you need to wank yourself off…
Interesting comments on this. At least Trump is trying to do something on this issue. So many lives are being lost in that war on both sides, hopefully this will at least make some progress.
So far it’s mostly been performative nonsense.
Russia, the enemy state with their POS planes. Horrible people, horrible and corrupt culture, truly an awful place to live. Only Tucker would fawn over such a country.
Putin visited the Russian American cooperation memorial before flying here. FDR near his death, regretted his cooperation with Stalin. History repeats.
Really smart idea. Should be a productive, successful meeting all Americans will look back on with pride.
You’ve mentioned that you want to fly on Cubana’s IL-96.
There are some groups (e.g. Alliance for Cuba Engagement and Respect (ACERE)) that may be interested in pursuing legislative advocacy and/or a court challenge against the US-imposed ban on travel to Cuba, and they could be interested in hearing a unique perspective like yours.
Meh. The master is meeting his servant. Putin will give the instructions and Trump will be a good lap dog and speak on command.