Trump and Putin’s security teams matching ‘gun for gun’ during Alaska meeting
Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin’s security teams are being matched “gun for gun” during their face-to-face meeting in Alaska.
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The two presidents shook hands on the tarmac at the Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson just after 11am local time (8pm BST) and are taking part in a three-on-three bilateral meeting.
Hundreds of security agents are present at Anchorage to help protect the two leaders, who have had assassination attempts on their lives.
Strict security arrangements between the US and Russian teams mean neither side was allowed to open the other’s doors, a source had told Bloomberg.
A placement of translators in the room is also be matched.
There are typically three rings of security, the innermost, the middle and the outer.
Read more: LIVE: Trump and Putin meet for crunch summit in Alaska over Ukraine war
Russian security forces have controlled Putin’s immediate movements while the Secret Service is protcecting the outer ring.
The US President boarded Air Force One this morning, telling reporters that the meeting in Anchorage could set up a second summit where a peace deal could be hammered out.
He said that Ukraine is "counting on America," but Mr Trump was less charitable in his comments as he boarded the plane.
Earlier in the day, Mr Trump said: "I've got to let Ukraine make that decision, and I think they'll make a proper decision. But I'm not here to negotiate for Ukraine. I'm here to get him at a table. And I think you have two sides.
"Look, Vladimir Putin wanted to take all of Ukraine. If I wasn't president, he would right now be taking all of Ukraine. But he's not going to do it."
Earlier today, in an interview with Bret Baier of Fox News on board Air Force One, Trump said he hopes his meeting with Putin goes well, but he is prepared to walk away if that is not the case.
He predicted the meeting would "work out very well", but added that "if it doesn’t, I’m going to head back home real fast".
"I would walk, yeah," he added.