WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said he will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin next Friday in Alaska to discuss ending the war in Ukraine, a potential breakthrough after weeks of expressing frustration that more was not being done to quell the fighting.

Dr. Ronald Suny, distinguished University of Michigan historian and a preeminent expert on Soviet and post-Soviet history, spoke with Hilary Golston for The Interview about the hidden dynamics shaping the Alaska summit and what could happen next.

On Friday evening, Trump posted on his social media site Truth Social that a "highly anticipated meeting" between him and Putin would take place on 15 August in the "great state of Alaska". "Further details to follow," he said. Trump had said the meeting location would be "a very popular one for a number of reasons".