Anchorage, Alaska: where to go and what you need to know

On Tuesday evening, August 12, the White House indicated that the meeting of the presidents of Russia and the United States on Friday will be held in Alaska's largest city, Anchorage. Izvestia found out why this city is interesting and what is the difference in hours between Anchorage and Moscow.

Putin and Trump's meeting in Alaska: where and when will it take place

Talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and American leader Donald Trump will take place on Friday, August 15, in Anchorage, the largest city in Alaska. The White House clarified the meeting place on Tuesday evening.

"On Friday morning, President Trump will travel across the country to Anchorage, Alaska, for a bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin," White House press Secretary Caroline Levitt said at a briefing.
The format of the meeting implies a one-on-one conversation between the presidents, other details have not yet been disclosed.

According to Leavitt, the meeting between the leaders of the two countries will be held in order to identify steps to resolve the Ukrainian conflict. She also recalled that Trump hopes to organize a trilateral meeting between him, Putin and Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky to finally end the conflict.

Anchorage, Alaska: what is known

Anchorage is the largest city in Alaska, located in the southern part of the state. The name refers to the English word "anchor", because there was an anchorage for ships in the vicinity. The population in 2025 is about 290 thousand people, about 40% of the inhabitants of the peninsula live here. There are often Russian-speaking people in it, and there are also people originally from Russia.

The city of Totma in the Vologda region has long-standing historical ties with Alaska. It was here that the traveler Ivan Kuskov was born, who founded the Fort Ross fortress in northern California in 1812. It has become not only a Russian base, but also the main source of food supply for Alaskans.

The city is known for its unique location: it seems to be surrounded by national parks and is located between Cook Bay and the Chugach Mountains. To the north is Denali National Park, which contains the highest peak in North America— Mount Denali. Winter in Anchorage lasts from October to April. In the summer months, the sun practically does not set below the horizon, and in June it can be light up to 22-23 hours a day.

Anchorage is a key transportation hub in Alaska, with major rail and road routes running through it, and Ted Stevens International Airport (ANC) is a regional hub.

The city appeared in 1920 around the time of the construction of the railway. It acquired its current economic importance after the discovery of the Prudhoe Bay oil field in 1968. Today, the city's economy is based on transportation, the oil industry, and tourism.

Time difference between Moscow and Anchorage

Anchorage is located in the UTC−08:00 time zone, and Moscow is in the UTC+03:00 time zone. Anchorage time is 11 hours behind Moscow time. This means that when it is noon in Anchorage, it will be 23:00 in Moscow on the same day.

Izvestia discovered a park with birch trees in Anchorage, reminiscent of Russian landscapes.

"Everything in this park resembles Russia, there are even birch trees here," said Vladimir Artyukhov, a correspondent for Izvestia, who went in search of places with a Russian spirit in Anchorage.

The correspondent clarified that the presence of birch trees is very rare for the mainland of the United States. He also visited the Russian Jack Plaza shopping center, located near St. Innocent's Cathedral, which is the spiritual center of Orthodox believers. In the numerous shops on the territory of the shopping center, you can buy goods and products familiar to Russians.