MOSCOW/WASHINGTON — Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a telephone conversation on August 12 to discuss preparations for the upcoming summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump, scheduled for August 15 in Anchorage, Alaska.

According to official statements, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring a successful meeting, which is expected to focus heavily on efforts to end the ongoing war in Ukraine.

The summit marks the first in-person engagement between the two leaders since Trump’s return to the White House earlier this year.

Allegations of Ukrainian Provocation

Shortly after the diplomatic call, Russia’s Ministry of Defense issued a statement alleging that the Ukrainian government is preparing a “bloody provocation” aimed at sabotaging the summit.

The ministry claims that on August 11, a group of foreign journalists was transported by Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) to the city of Chuguev in the Kharkiv region under the pretext of reporting on frontline civilian life.

Russian officials allege that the Ukrainian Armed Forces plan to launch a missile and drone strike on a densely populated area or hospital in Chuguev just before the summit.

The attack, they claim, would be falsely attributed to Russian forces and documented by the foreign media present, thereby generating negative international coverage and undermining U.S.-Russia cooperation on Ukraine.

The ministry further warned that similar provocations could occur in other Ukrainian-controlled territories.

Summit Significance and Global Reactions

The Alaska summit is being closely watched worldwide. India’s Ministry of External Affairs has welcomed the meeting, calling it a potential turning point for peace in Ukraine.

However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has expressed skepticism, insisting that no decisions regarding Ukraine should be made without Kyiv’s direct involvement.

The choice of Alaska as the summit venue avoids legal complications tied to the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant for Putin, as the U.S. is not a party to the ICC.

As tensions rise ahead of the high-stakes meeting, the international community remains alert to both diplomatic breakthroughs and potential disruptions.