Anchorage: Where is the Trump-Putin Summit in Alaska? / The former US Eskimo village sold by Russia

Where is Anchorage, the Alaskan city where the Trump-Putin meeting took place: the history and geopolitical significance of the former Eskimo village sold by the Russians to the US

As the long-awaited summit between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin approaches, during which it is hoped an agreement on peace in Ukraine will be reached, interest is growing in the city of Anchorage , the most populous in Alaska – although it is not the capital – and more than a second and a half US territory, sold by Russia in the economically complex period that followed the first Crimean war.

Beyond the summit – the political aspects of which we have already explored in this other article – here we want to focus on the city of Anchorage to recall its history, its strategic importance and the geopolitical value of Trump's choice: starting from some historical notes, it is interesting to remember that Anchorage was originally a simple Eskimo village among the many that populated Alaska .

It was after the Crimean War – roughly in 1856 – that its importance grew, having been acquired in 1867 (albeit with no small amount of criticism from US citizens) at the behest of US Secretary of State William Seward: the development of the city of Anchorage as we know it today began in 1915 when the United States understood its commercial value and made it one of the main trading hubs of Alaska .

Since 1915, Anchorage has been transformed into the main maritime link from the United States to the interior and has progressively welcomed the majority of Alaska's citizens: it is no coincidence that today approximately 400 thousand people live there and it is the destination every year for thousands and thousands of tourists who want to visit the remote American country, which is why the summit will be held at the Elmendorf-Richardson military base .

Trump's choice of Anchorage and the Elmendorf-Richardson base is no coincidence, as the former represents one of Russia's most significant concessions to the United States , while the latter is the main military base in the area, in an (unconfirmed) attempt to "flex" the US's muscles to the Russian president. The city has also hosted several high-level meetings in the past, such as the 2021 meeting between the US and China.

Obviously, in anticipation of the arrival of the two world leaders, the city of Anchorage – where widespread protests are already expected – will be completely locked down : the security measures have (obviously) not been disclosed, but we already know that the airspace will be closed; while for this very reason, the heavily guarded US military base will be useful, allowing for a staunch defense of Trump and Putin in the event – admittedly remote – of external interference.