Russen begrüßen historische Alaska-Verbindungen vor dem Trump-Putin-Gipfel auf der Ukraine

[The choice of Alaska ](https://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/video/more-details-on-president-trump-and-president-putin-s-meeting-in-alaska-244742213925)for talks between Presidents [Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trumps-meeting-putin-high-stakes-ukraine-war-legacy-rcna223904) is being seen as symbolic by some Russian commentators, who are framing it as a nod to historic ties and a chance for closer relations in future.

It appears that [Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/white-house-considering-inviting-zelenskyy-alaska-rcna224070) has not been invited to the summit about the war in his homeland and representatives from Europe have also been excluded, fueling [Kyiv’s worst fears](https://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/video/zelenskyy-has-no-intention-of-ceding-territory-with-trump-and-putin-set-to-hold-talks-244723269966) that its future might be decided without its input.

But [Moscow’s media](https://www.nbcnews.com/world/ukraine/russia-ukraine-war-%3Cstrong%3Etrump%3C/strong%3E-backtracks-attack-moscow-zelenskyy-putin-rcna219031) and political elite have praised the choice of venue — a territory the United States purchased from the then-Russian Empire 158 years ago — framing it as a reminder that the U.S. and Russia are geographically close to one another and suggesting it could strengthen relations between the two nations.