Russia will deliver a clearly defined message to the United States at an upcoming bilateral summit in Alaska, Foreign Minister said after arriving in Anchorage.

“We never try to predict the outcome or make guesses. What we do know is that we have clear arguments to contribute to the discussion, and our position is well defined. We will present it accordingly”, - Sergei Lavrov said of upcoming talks between President Vladimir Putin and US counterpart Donald Trump at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson.

Putin’s visit marks the first time a Russian leader has ever visited the state, which had been a part of the Russian Empire before it was sold to the United States in 1867. Lavrov said he had visited Alaska before.

The Kremlin has said the Alaska summit would focus on “the resolution of the Ukraine crisis”. Putin described the Trump administration’s efforts to mediate an end to the war in Ukraine as “rather energetic and sincere”, and suggested Russia and the U.S. could sign an agreement on nuclear arms control as part of talks with Washington. Trump said he believes Putin intends to “make a deal” to end the war in Ukraine at the summit, and that he was planning a second meeting with both Putin and Ukrainian President afterward. Volodymyr Zelensky was not invited to the Alaska summit.