What is Alaska known for and why was this state chosen for the meeting between Putin and Trump?

On Friday, August 15, the Presidents of Russia and the United States, Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump, will meet, during which the leaders of the two countries will discuss issues of a peaceful settlement in Ukraine. The negotiations will take place on American territory, in the state of Alaska. Read the Izvestia article about why Alaska was chosen as the meeting place and what role this region plays in Russian-American relations.

Where is Alaska located?

Alaska is one of the largest states in the United States (the capital is Juneau), which is located in northwestern North America and is one of two non-continental states, along with Hawaii. It is formed by the Alaska Peninsula, the Aleutian Islands and a strip of coast along the western border of Canada.

Alaska borders the Russian Chukchi Autonomous Okrug through the Bering Strait, which connects the Chukchi and Bering Seas. The state maritime border between Russia and the United States runs here. At the narrowest point of the strait, the distance between the countries is about 4 km. There is also a time zone boundary.

The state has an area of 1,723 million square kilometers, which is almost a fifth of the mainland United States, exceeding Texas, California and Montana combined.

However, a significant area of Alaska is occupied by glaciers and tundra. Because of this, the population density on the peninsula is the lowest in the United States. About 740,000 people live in the state, 108 thousand of them are indigenous people: Eskimos, Aleuts, Athapascans, as well as a small number of descendants of Russian and European immigrants.

The History of Russian America

The beginning of the exploration of the northern region was laid in the Russian Empire. The route between Asia and North America was discovered in 1648 by the Russian navigator and explorer Semyon Dezhnev. He rounded the Chukchi Peninsula and passed through the Strait, which was later called the Bering Strait. Although he did not explore Alaska directly, his voyage opened the way for future Russian expeditions.

Active development of the peninsula began in the 18th century and continued until its sale to the United States in 1867. The 1732 expedition led by surveyor Mikhail Gvozdev and navigator Ivan Fedorov made a great contribution to the development of new lands. The researchers managed to study the coastline in some detail and put the coordinates on the map.

This work was continued by the expedition of Vitus Bering and Alexei Chirikov, who first landed on the Alaskan mainland. The discoveries of Russian navigators paved the way for merchants. Already in 1784, merchant Grigory Shelikhov founded the first Russian settlement here. It was formed on Kodiak Island off the southern coast of Alaska. Later, other settlements were founded, including the fort of St. Nicholas.

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Russian Russians were actively engaged in the trade of furs, sables and sea otters (sea beavers), which was the basis of the economy of Russian America. And in 1799, the Russian-American Company (RAK) was founded, which gained a monopoly on trade and management of new lands. Gradually, not only trade developed in this territory, but the spread of Orthodoxy and the Russian language also began.

Alexander Baranov, a Russian statesman and entrepreneur, who held this position for almost 30 years, became the first governor of Alaska under the leadership of the CANCER. During the years of his reign, the borders of the Russian possessions expanded significantly, new settlements appeared, and local shipbuilding was initiated. He also conducted the first population census of Russian possessions in America.

During the Crimean War (1853-1856), it became obvious that the cost of maintaining and protecting such a remote territory would exceed the potential profit. In addition, the war led to high financial costs. In order not to lose the lands claimed by other countries, in particular the United Kingdom, it was decided to sell them.

The treaty was signed in 1867 in Washington between Russia and the then friendly United States. Alaska was sold for $7.2 million in gold, subsequently becoming one of the most important strategic and economic regions of America. For Russia, the deal allowed it to focus resources on the development of the Far East and the Amur region.

Over time, it turned out that the earth is full of natural resources. In 1896, gold was discovered on Bonanza Creek, a tributary of the Klondike River, which attracted thousands of gold prospectors to the area. This event went down in history as the Klondike Gold Rush. And in 1968, oil was discovered in Prudhoe Bay (Borough of North Slope). Today, this deposit is known as the largest in North America.

In addition, Alaska is one of the world's largest suppliers of seafood, including salmon, cod, pollock, and crabs. The natural beauty of the region, which attracts millions of tourists, also contributes to the development of the economy.

The administrative status of Alaska has changed several times. In 1884, it became a county, in 1912 it received the status of a U.S. territory, and only in 1959 it officially became the 49th state of America.

The importance of Alaska in Russian-American relations

It is quite symbolic that the Russian and American leaders chose Alaska for the meeting on the settlement of the Ukrainian crisis, which is scheduled for August 15. The Territory is of particular importance to both powers, as it has served as a bridge between the nations for centuries.

Russian Russian heritage remains here, including Orthodox churches, dialects of the Russian language and Russian borrowings in the language of the indigenous population. Because of this, Alaska is often called the most Russian state in America.

In addition to its historical connections, Alaska is also attractive from the point of view of its geographical location. Russia and the United States are separated by a several-kilometer maritime border in the Bering Strait. In this regard, the peninsula is preferable for negotiations than European countries.

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In addition, meeting on the territory of the state frees up the need to request airspace for a flight, The Washington Post newspaper emphasizes.

It is expected that the upcoming summit will give a new impetus to bilateral relations, which will help resolve a number of important issues, including the resumption of flights. In addition, Alaska can serve as a platform for discussing the Arctic topic, where the interests of Russia and the United States also come into contact.

Time difference with Moscow

The administrative territory of the United States is divided into six time zones — from UTC-9 to UTC-4. Accordingly, the time difference with Moscow can range from minus 12 to minus 7 hours.

Alaska has the Alaska Time Zone (AKST, UTC-9). It covers almost the entire state and is one hour behind the Pacific Time Zone. The exception is the Aleutian Islands, which form an arc from the southwestern tip of Alaska to the base of Kamchatka. Hawaiian-Aleutian Time (HAST, UTC-10) is in effect there.

Moscow is located in the UTC+3 time zone. Thus, the time difference between Alaska is minus 12 hours (MSK−12). If it's noon in the Russian capital, then it's still midnight in the American state.

But in order to accurately determine the time, it is also important to consider daylight saving time. In the United States, it is carried out in spring on the second Sunday of March (UTC−8:00). The return trip takes place at the end of autumn, on the first Sunday in November. During the transition period, the difference with Moscow is reduced by one hour. That is, if it's 12:00 in Moscow, then it's 01:00 in Alaska.

The distance from Moscow to Alaska in a straight line is 7,021 km. It takes about 9 hours and 24 minutes to get there by plane.

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