Putin floats potential Russia-U.S. nuclear deal ahead of Alaska meeting with Trump

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday suggested that Russia and the United States could reach an agreement on nuclear arms control at their meeting in Alaska on Friday, while President Donald Trump shared more details on where the U.S. stands regarding his upcoming high-stakes talks with the Russian leader.

According to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, Putin floated the prospect of a nuclear arms agreement between Russia and the U.S. when chairing a meeting of senior Russian officials at the Kremlin, on the eve of the meeting between the Russian and U.S. presidents in Alaska.

Putin said such an agreement would be conducive to safeguarding world peace.

He also praised the Trump administration's sincere efforts to end the Ukraine crisis.

The meeting between Putin and Trump is scheduled to take place at 11:30 local time (1930 GMT) on Friday in the Elmendorf-Richardson military base in Anchorage, the largest city in Alaska. The two heads of state will hold one-on-one talks centering on "the settlement of the Ukrainian crisis and the most pressing international and regional issues," before a meeting of delegations from both countries, Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov said Thursday.

Putin and Trump will hold a joint press conference following the talks, Ushakov added.

Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, said on Thursday that he did not expect to see any document signed between Putin and Trump after their meeting on Friday.

Also on Thursday, Trump, in a Fox News radio interview, said he "thinks he's going to make a deal" on the Ukraine crisis at the Alaska meeting, referring to Putin.

The aim of the Alaska talks with Putin is to set up a second meeting including Ukraine, Trump said, adding that he did not know "that we're going to get an immediate ceasefire."

Trump said that there would be a give and take on boundaries and lands.

Trump also said that Friday's meeting has a 25-percent chance of failing, warning of economic sanctions on Russia if the talks fails.

He said if the meeting went well, he would call Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders afterwards and that if it went badly, he would not.

He also said there would be a press conference following the meeting, but that he did not know whether it would be a joint one.

Putin floats potential Russia-U.S. nuclear deal ahead of Alaska meeting with Trump

Putin floats potential Russia-U.S. nuclear deal ahead of Alaska meeting with Trump

Putin floats potential Russia-U.S. nuclear deal ahead of Alaska meeting with Trump

Putin floats potential Russia-U.S. nuclear deal ahead of Alaska meeting with Trump

A former television host from Taiwan, Zhai Xuan, has made a pivotal decision to leave mainstream broadcasting in order to create content that provides a better understanding of the Chinese mainland and cross-strait relations.

Zhai, a seasoned television host with over a decade of experience in Taiwan's media landscape, recently addressed an audience at an event in Beijing, where she revealed her complete transition into independent online media.

In her remarks, she articulated her aspiration to bridge what she perceives as a significant information gap between audiences on both sides of the Strait, highlighting her commitment to fostering a deeper understanding and connection through her new endeavors.

"I was really surprised by all the fake news. There were stories saying people on the mainland can't afford tea eggs or that they live in mud houses and in Taiwan, this was the main information many people received," said Zhai.

Zhai said she initially began producing online videos to challenge such perceptions while continuing her work as a television host.

In April 2025, she travelled to the mainland with her father to fulfill her late grandfather's wish to return to his hometown. The trip, which reunited family members separated since 1949, was recorded in a video series titled "Journey to Find Our Roots", drawing attention from viewers in both Taiwan and the mainland.

"Many people in Taiwan told me that after watching, they wanted to apply for a mainland travel permit immediately and go looking for their relatives. Some had long forgotten these things, but after seeing my story, they began thinking about their hometowns and family members they had never met and decided to search for their roots," Zhai shared her story at the event.

By mid-2025, Zhai said she began to feel increasing pressure amid rising political tensions and a tightening atmosphere around cross-Strait exchanges in Taiwan.

After more than 12 years in the industry, Zhai resigned from her position, believing it was the right thing to do.

"At that moment, I felt this was a major issue，not just for me, but for Chinese people on both sides of the Strait. If I backed down then, I wouldn’t be standing on the right side," said Zhai.

Since leaving television, Zhai has broadened her online programming to encompass a range of daily-life topics, including practical guidance on applying for a mainland travel permit and using commonly employed mobile applications, in addition to content that delves into historical memory and cultural connections across the Strait.

As the debate over cross-Strait relations continues in Taiwan, Zhai said she remains committed to her current path.

Former Taiwan TV host bridges cross-Strait divide via online media