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Trump to Meet with Putin in Alaska in Coming Hours; Hong Kong Court Adjourns Hearing for Lai Until Monday; Israel's Netanyahu Pushing 'Voluntary' Migration from Gaza; Japan Marks 80 Years Since Surrender Ending WWII. Aired 12-1a ET

Aired August 15, 2025 - 00:00   ET

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ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

[00:00:11]

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Jim Sciutto, live in Anchorage, Alaska, where we are just a few hours away now from a crucial summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian president Vladimir Putin.

President Trump says he hopes the meeting will help to bring an end to the grinding war in Ukraine, following, of course, Russia's full-scale invasion more than three years ago now.

We expect to hear from both leaders at a joint press conference after they meet, though President Trump says he might do that press conference by himself if the meeting, quote, "doesn't end well."

President Trump, keeping expectations high, says he believes that Putin wants to make a deal to end the war, after White House officials earlier this week downplayed the one-on-one meeting as, quote, "a listening exercise."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: I think President Putin will make peace. I think President Zelenskyy will make peace. We'll see if they can get along. And if they can, it'll be great.

You know, I've solved six wars in the last six months, a little more than six months now. And I'm very proud of it. I thought the easiest one would be this one. It's actually the most difficult.

President Putin would like to see a deal. I think if I weren't president, he would take over all of Ukraine.

But I am president, and he's not going to mess around with me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCIUTTO: This will be the first time the two leaders have met since Trump's first term in 2018. The summit will be held at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson here in Alaska. In fact, it's just over my shoulder here behind us. Russia's foreign minister and the Russian ambassador to the U.S. have

already arrived on the ground here in Anchorage for the meeting. This according to Russian state media.

On Thursday, President Putin praised President Trump for what he called his energetic efforts to stop the fighting in Ukraine and reach a peaceful resolution.

President Trump says the summit is an effort to set the table for a second meeting, which would then include Ukraine's president.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been meeting with European leaders as they emphasize that no one should make a decision about Ukraine without Ukraine and European leaders at the table.

Joining me now is David Sanger, CNN political and national security analyst. Of course, with "The New York Times," as well, and author of the book "New Cold Wars."

David, good to have you here.

When I've been speaking to contacts in Ukraine and Europe and many on Capitol Hill, as well, I hear two general reactions from them.

One is skepticism that any grand bargain will be reached here, but also a dose of worry that, if an agreement is made, that Trump is more likely to give Russia more than Ukraine. And I wonder if that's a reasonable read going into this.

DAVID SANGER, CNN POLITICAL AND NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: I think that's exactly the right read.

You know, the beginning of the administration, you heard the president basically repeat many of Russia's talking points.

SCIUTTO: Yes.

SANGER: He said Ukraine should never join NATO. He said, that's not going to happen. He said that the United States was not going to continue to fund arms for Ukraine.

SCIUTTO: Yes.

SANGER: And in fact, it hasn't. It has been willing to sell arms to the Europeans, to give to them. But J.D. Vance himself said a little more than a week ago, we're out of the business of supporting the Ukraine war.

This is all music to the ears of Vladimir Putin and gives him very little reason to strike a deal now, at a moment that he's doing pretty well on the battlefield.

SCIUTTO: Yes. To your point, I mean, those are already big concessions, are they not --

SANGER: Yes. SCIUTTO: -- to him, for instance, to stop U.S. direct.

SANGER: For which he got nothing in return.

SCIUTTO: Yes. Now, Trump has changed, at least, what he says about Russia in recent weeks, expressing this public frustration using that phrase he's pissed me off. Or that Putin is tapping me along, you know, leading him along in these negotiations.

We haven't seen him back that rhetorical change with any action: for instance, new sanctions. But when you speak to your contacts inside the White House, do they tell you that Trump's view of Putin has genuinely changed?

SANGER: They don't. And I think they're not certain themselves.

You know, that initial set of concessions, I think, was intended to signal to Putin, I'll give you the best deal that can be done.

SCIUTTO: Right.

SANGER: What was he walking away from? He didn't use the phrase, which was so reflexive in the Biden administration, that this was an illegal invasion. In fact, at one point, he early in his term, second term here, he said outright, you know, maybe they were led to go invade by the expansion of NATO; by things Ukraine said and did; by Ukraine's own desire to join NATO.

[00:05:08]

SCIUTTO: Yes.

SANGER: Right?

Then, when this wasn't working, and when Putin didn't pick up on these signals and instead accelerated the war, he turned around and said just what you pointed out. You know, he's expressed his frustration.

But it's only on India that he has put on secondary sanctions, which is to say, to penalize India for buying Russian oil. The Chinese are buying more Russian oil, and he hasn't done a thing with them.

SCIUTTO: Yes. Notable. Well, even when you talk about repeating Russian talking points, even this morning in the Oval Office in Washington, he used that phrase again, There's a lot of blame to go around.

SANGER: Right.

SCIUTTO: In effect, saying that Ukraine shares the blame for being invaded --

SANGER: Invaded.

SCIUTTO: -- which when I spoke to a Ukrainian lawmaker earlier today, understandably, quite understandably, those were upsetting comments. When Putin, it seems, expands what's on the table tomorrow to include

the possibility of resetting relations with Russia, or even the possibility of a nuclear agreement, why is that? And -- and is it possible that's to distract from the very real issues that remain with Ukraine?

SANGER: Or at least to dilute it. To say, Look, you don't have a direct national American interest in the outcome in Ukraine. He's saying, I do. Putin does, but you don't.

But you do have an interest in a business arrangement that might allow Americans to go after rare earths or other hard-to-find materials that could be mined in Russia.

You do have an interest in investing in Russia, investing in Russia's oil capacity and so forth.

And then he's going to say, Look, we're only seven months out from the expiration of new START, the last arms control agreement between --

SCIUTTO: Yes.

SANGER: -- Russia and the United States. And if that expires in February, as it's scheduled to do, and there's nothing to replace it, then there's the possibility of a free-for-all arms race.

SCIUTTO: Yes.

SANGER: So, you could imagine they'd not get another treaty. And I can't imagine you'd get that through the Senate.

But you could imagine an executive agreement between the two of them to freeze or reduce --

SCIUTTO: Yes.

SANGER: -- the number of strategic weapons, long-range weapons that they're aiming at each other.

SCIUTTO: And that would be something, given that all we've seen in recent years is the disappearance of nuclear agreements, as opposed to any -- any new ones.

David Sanger, "New York Times," author of "New Cold Wars," thanks so much for joining.

SANGER: Thank you.

SCIUTTO: Look forward to seeing you tomorrow.

Well, for a Ukrainian perspective now, let's bring in Alex Goncharenko. He's a member of the Ukrainian parliament. Alex, thanks so much for taking the time.

ALEX GONCHARENKO, MEMBER OF UKRAINIAN PARLIAMENT: Good morning.

SCIUTTO: So, you heard David and I talking about skepticism. We're hearing about what can be achieved tomorrow.

I wonder what you're feeling now. Are you skeptical of a deal? And are you fearful that, perhaps, the Russian and U.S. leaders will make a deal over the heads of the Ukrainian people?

GONCHARENKO: What? But also, I'm hopeful. And yes, it's very mixed feelings. But it is, because we want -- we here in Ukraine, we want the war to end as soon as possible.

And now, probably, we are the most close to this in this three and a half years in any way.

So, I don't know what Putin will say today to President Trump. I know that Putin doesn't want to end the war, but also, I know that Putin is afraid of the United States.

And if Trump will find the right words, and if Trump will be tough enough in this conversation today, Putin will end the war. And that's what we hope for.

But at the same time, we are -- we have fears. We have skepticism. We have all of this, but also, we have hopes.

SCIUTTO: Understood. And listen, as I talk to -- to you and your colleagues in Ukraine, I always make sure to remind my viewers that you're in a place that is under constant attack and that you have to spend your evenings often fleeing, I imagine, to bomb shelters to avoid those incoming missiles and drones.

I want to ask about land concessions, because President Trump has said repeatedly in recent days that an agreement might include what he calls land swaps.

I mean, we should note: it's swapping Ukrainian land for Ukrainian land. This is all land taken by force by Russia.

But is it realistic to expect that, if this war is to end, that Ukraine will have to give up some territory?

GONCHARENKO: When we're saying the word "give up," we need to clarify what does it -- we mean, because Ukraine will never recognize that any inch of our territory is Russia. It is Ukrainian territory.

[00:10:08]

But it's illegally occupied. And we can't, for the moment, kick off Russians from the -- our territories, at least with this level of support from our allies.

So, it means that we are moving to the freezing of the conflict when part of our territories will be still occupied by Russians. But it is very important for us to name it how it is: that it is Ukrainian territories which are illegally occupied by Russia, even if they will control it.

We know that, for example, Baltic states were controlled by Russia for decades after being occupied. But after this, they were liberated and reestablished their independence.

Speaking about swapping of territories, this is -- I really don't know what exactly President Trump means, but there are pieces of territories which are very important, not just for Ukraine.

For example, Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe. If it is occupied by Russians, it is very dangerous both for Ukraine, by the way, to Russia, too. But for the whole continent.

So, it would be great if the -- part of this deal will be that Russians will leave this territory and will give back to Ukraine control over Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.

Such swapping probably, maybe, is possible, but I really don't know what -- what President Trump meant -- meant.

SCIUTTO: Yes. Mentioning the Baltics is important, because I believe the West, the U.S. never recognized Russian --

GONCHARENKO: Exactly.

SCIUTTO: -- control over those states, even for the many, many decades that the Soviet Union controlled them.

Another key issue, of course, is security guarantees for Ukraine as part of any peace agreement. Would Ukraine believe any commitment that Russia makes, because Russia's track record in recent years has been, well, horrible? It's violated a whole host of agreements.

So, how does Ukraine assess any potential agreement by Russia not to invade again?

GONCHARENKO: No, it's -- it's even not a joke. We do not believe Russia at all. And especially in this.

So, when we're speaking about security guarantees, it's not some words or papers from Russia, because it costs nothing. Absolutely nothing.

It's about our allies, what they will do. The best is NATO membership. Probably, it's not on the table. It looks like this.

Next possibility is European Union membership. Yes. E.U. is not a military alliance, but still, European Union is an alliance. So, I think that can be part of these guarantees.

Second, next, is the weapon delivery, weapon resupply to Ukraine and support financial of Ukrainian army. So, this is a real guarantee.

Because the best guarantee of Ukraine is Ukrainian army, which we proved during these years. Because there is no boots on the ground in Ukraine other than Ukrainian. It's only Ukrainian who are fighting and fighting very, very courageously.

So, if we will have support of Ukrainian army, more weapons to Ukraine from our allies and at the same time, clear perspective of joining European Union, I think it can be enough package of guarantees to feel ourselves safe.

SCIUTTO: Then, European Union leaders will often remind me that, while there is no Article V commitment in the E.U., there is at least security clauses in E.U. membership.

Alex Goncharenko, we appreciate you joining, and we wish you safety.

GONCHARENKO: Thank you very much.

SCIUTTO: Well, Russia's leader is heading into the summit hoping to make it more than just about Ukraine, as we mentioned earlier.

Putin and Russian officials are floating the idea of discussing not just a nuclear agreement, but also potential economic cooperation.

Whatever Putin's actual game plan is, he is setting the stage with something he used before with Trump: old-fashioned flattery.

Fred Pleitgen reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Russian state TV counting down the minutes to the landmark summit between President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

After days of silence, Putin, with his first public remarks, meeting his most senior officials, praising President Trump.

"The current American administration," he says, "which is making, in my opinion, quite energetic and sincere efforts to stop the hostilities, stop the crisis, and reach agreements that are of interest to all parties involved in this conflict, in order to create long-term conditions for peace between our countries."

[00:15:17]

But more than long-term peace talks, President Trump says he wants an immediate ceasefire as the fighting on the battlefields in Ukraine grinds on.

Trump threatening, quote, "severe consequences" if the summit doesn't yield real progress towards a ceasefire.

I asked a member of Russia's delegation about the U.S.'s tough talk.

PLEITGEN: So, sir, President Trump has threatened severe consequences if there's no movement towards a ceasefire. What's Russia hoping to get out of this meeting?

KIRILL DMITRIEV, RUSSIAN SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE: Well, I think dialogue is very important, and I think it's a very positive meeting for the world, because during Biden administration, no dialog was happening. So, I think it's very important to hear Russian position directly. And there are lots of misunderstandings, misinformation about the

Russian position. And it's also a chance to sort of reset, if the meeting goes well, U.S.-Russia relations.

PLEITGEN (voice-over): Moscow hoping for sanctions relief and lucrative business deals with the U.S. in the future, especially in the Arctic.

Russians fascinated by the summit venue, Alaska, once part of Russia till it was sold to the U.S. in the 19th Century. Some Russians, still bitter, feeling Alaska should be theirs.

"Neither in the czarist nor in the Soviet, nor in the post-Soviet era, have the top leaders of our country visited Alaska," a Russian state TV correspondent says in a report from Alaska. "But should they not take back the land sold in 1867 by Alexander II for the colossal sum at the time of $7,200,000?"

TRUMP: Good to be with you.

PLEITGEN (voice-over): But for now, many Russians hope their president will be able to take back the diplomatic initiative and persuade President Trump into laying off possible severe sanctions and tariffs.

The Kremlin spokesman praising Putin's relations with the U.S. president.

"President Trump is demonstrating an unprecedentedly unusual approach to solving the most difficult issues," he says, "which is highly praised by Moscow and President Putin personally."

While both Washington and Moscow say the personal chemistry between the two leaders is good, the coming hours will show if they're strong enough to move closer to ending the fighting in Ukraine.

Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Moscow.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SCIUTTO: It's going to be quite a moment tomorrow. Much more ahead on the Trump-Putin summit.

Let's get now to other news. Jim Vause has that coverage from Atlanta -- John.

JOHN VAUSE, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Jim Sciutto there in Anchorage, Alaska. Thank you. We'll be back to you, no doubt, in a short time.

But coming up here on CNN, we'll go live to Hong Kong for the very latest on the trial of media tycoon and pro-democracy leader Jimmy Lai. For the second time in a week, the hearing has been postponed. We'll tell you why in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[00:21:55] VAUSE: Well, we go to Hong Kong now, where the trial of media tycoon and pro-democracy advocate Jimmy Lai has been delayed again, the second time this week.

Seventy-seven-year-old Lai appeared frail and thin as he arrived in court for the start of closing arguments, but the hearing was quickly adjourned after defense lawyers raised concerns over Lai's health: in particular, his heart.

The judge ruling it was not prudent to continue until his medical needs were met.

Lai has been in a maximum-security prison since 2020, when he was charged under Hong Kong's national security law, the same controversial law which saw Lai and hundreds of thousands of others take to the streets in protest.

CNN's Kristie Lu Stout live for us now in Hong Kong. So, Kristie, yesterday it was the black rain alert which saw the court adjourned. Now it's Lai's health, which has been a concern for his family for a while now.

So, how serious is this condition?

KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR/CORRESPONDENT: Well, John, what we know is this day one of closing statements has been adjourned due to concerns over Jimmy Lai's health.

The court learned today that Jimmy Lai has not received medical treatment that was prescribed to him.

Earlier today, we were at the court where the national security trial of Jimmy Lai is hearing closing statements, and we saw the scene outside, where there were lines of supporters there, braving the humidity and the occasional showers to bear witness to this moment.

We also saw the heavy security presence with police and police vehicles out in force.

Now, inside the court, Jimmy Lai appeared noticeably thinner, wearing a white shirt and black spectacles. And people around Hong Kong and around the world are watching this trial very closely.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STOUT (voice-over): Jimmy Lai was the media mogul who risked his fortune for Hong Kong's freedom. Now awaiting his fate in jail, he is a flashpoint between the U.S. and China.

Before his victory in October 2024, Donald Trump, in a phone interview with Hugh Hewitt, vowed to secure Lai's release, saying he would do so, quote, "100 percent yes."

And as president, Trump pledged to raise Lai's case in trade talks with China. TRUMP (via phone): I think talking about Jimmy Lai is a very good

idea. We'll put it down, and we'll put it down as part of the negotiation.

STOUT (voice-over): In a radio interview with FOX News this week, Trump said --

TRUMP (via phone): I'm going to do everything I can to save him.

STOUT (voice-over): Two people campaigning for Lai's release say that they were told U.S. Officials did bring up Lai's case during the talks. Since those talks, the U.S.-China trade truce has been extended.

But China is standing firm. Its U.S. embassy spokesman saying, "We strongly oppose external forces using judicial cases as a pretext to interfere in Chinas internal affairs or to smear and undermine Hong Kong's rule of law."

A rabble-rousing tycoon behind a popular pro-democracy tabloid, Jimmy Lai had long been a thorn in the side of Beijing. His high-profile trial, which began nearly two years ago, is now coming to an end.

He's charged with two counts of colluding with foreign forces to endanger national security. Along with a separate charge of sedition, he's pleaded not guilty.

His arrest after a sweeping national security law imposed by Beijing, which China and local leaders said restored stability to Hong Kong after months of anti-government protests in 2019.

[00:25:07]

At that time, Lai had lobbied foreign governments to apply pressure on China and made this direct appeal to President Trump.

JIMMY LAI, FOUNDER, "APPLE DAILY": Mr. President, you're the only one who can save us. If you save us and stop China's aggression, you also save the world.

STOUT (voice-over): Prosecutors say Lai's actions amount to lobbying for sanctions against Hong Kong and China, which is banned under the national security law. His lawyers argue he stopped doing so after the law came into effect.

Lai faces a possible sentence of life in prison. And for the 77-year- old, life would most likely mean life. Lai has already been in jail for nearly five years.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

STOUT: Jimmy Lai is 77 years old. He has diabetes. He has been in custody for nearly half a decade, much of that time in solitary confinement.

Earlier this week, I spoke with his son, Sebastian Lai, who is deeply concerned about his father's health. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEBASTIAN LAI, SON OF JIMMY LAI: If you put a 77-year-old man in a concrete box in solitary confinement.

Solitary confinement, by the way, is a form of torture, right? So, 15 days of solitary confinement is prolonged solitary confinement.

You put him in a concrete box under the Hong Kong sun for, essentially, close to half a decade, it is -- it is detrimental to his life. That's not a -- that's not a -- that's not conjecture. That's just a basic fact.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STOUT: How, we did reach out to the Hong Kong government for their response. They said that Jimmy Lai had requested to be removed from the general prison population, while also adding this. Let's bring up the statement for you.

Quote, "The remarks by Sebastian Lai regarding Lai Chee-ying's" -- That's Jimmy Lai's -- "solitary confinement are completely fact- twisting, reflecting a malicious intention to smear and attack the HKSAR government," unquote.

Again, day one of closing statements have been adjourned due to concerns over the health of Jimmy Lai. Closing statements could take anywhere between several days or weeks before leading to the announcement of a verdict.

Back to you, John.

VAUSE: Kristie, thank you. Kristie Lu Stout, live for us there in Hong Kong.

In a moment, counting down to a presidential summit which will focus entirely on ending Russia's war in Ukraine. Our coverage with Jim Sciutto continues after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[00:30:49]

SCIUTTO: Welcome back. I'm Jim Sciutto, live in Anchorage, Alaska. Let's take a look at today's top stories.

Pro-Ukraine -- pro-Ukraine protesters demonstrated in Alaska on the eve of the summit between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Protesters waved Ukrainian flags, held up signs outside the U.S. military base just over my right shoulder here, where the two leaders will meet on Friday.

Some called for President Trump not to give any concessions in those peace talks, while others carried anti-Trump signs.

The Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, is confirming that talks are underway with several countries about taking in Palestinians displaced from their homes by Israel.

A senior Israeli official tells CNN the countries they're speaking with are South Sudan, Somaliland, Ethiopia, Libya, and Indonesia.

It's unclear how advanced any of these discussions are and if they will pan out. Also, what the international reaction would be to such a move.

National Guard troops are beginning a round-the-clock mission, according to the Trump administration, to assist law enforcement in D.C.

They join FBI agents on patrol duty as part of President Trump's emergency crime declaration for the capital.

Trump downplayed concerns that federal agents were being pulled away from critical investigations into terrorism and other high-priority issues.

President Trump has suggested that a Ukraine ceasefire deal could involve what he called land swapping, but Ukraine has made it clear that surrendering any of its sovereign territory to Russia, which of course it took by force, is a nonstarter.

CNN's Clare Sebastian explains which areas could, at least for Trump and Putin, be on the table.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, here's what's at stake as Trump and Putin get ready to sit down in Alaska.

Now, the territory you see in red, that is what Russia currently occupies. It's about 19 percent of Ukraine, according to the Institute for the Study of War.

And that includes these four regions here that Russia claimed to annex in 2022. And of course, Crimea down here, where it's had de facto control since occupying the territory in 2014.

The parts in yellow, meanwhile, is the land that Ukraine has recaptured from Russia since 2022.

Now, patchy details have come out of a Russian peace offer potentially involving Ukraine giving up the Donbas region. That is, these two regions here, Donetsk and Luhansk. But this week, Russia's foreign ministry also said that its war goals haven't changed, which involve Ukraine also ceding Kherson and Zaporizhzhia in the South.

But here's the thing. Take a look at this map. Large parts of Donetsk, as well as Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, are not occupied by Russia. They're still controlled by Ukraine. You can see that the regional borders run above that red section here.

And if Russia demands that Ukraine pull back from all of those regions, then in practice, that would mean Ukraine withdrawing from cities that it spent three and a half years and thousands of human lives defending, abandoning some of its best defenses, including the so-called fortress belt in this part of Donetsk, and pulling back to a less defensible line, something Zelenskyy said would simply create a springboard for future Russian aggression.

Now, it could also mean giving back territory like this down here in Kherson that Ukraine has actually taken back already from Russia militarily, in the first year of the war.

Now, this week, after over a year of trying to take the Donetsk town of Pokrovsk, if we zoom in there, Russia seems to have pushed through Ukrainian defensive lines just here, heading towards the town of Dobropillia. Though Ukraine has stressed that this is not a major breakthrough and is now stabilized/

Ukraine is still warning, though, that Russia, in this area alone has about 110,000 troops stationed, a force larger than the entire British standing army.

So, far from the ceasefire that Trump may push for an Alaska, it is, according to Ukraine, preparing to launch new offensives, an effort potentially to force Ukraine into big concessions.

[00:35:01]

Clare Sebastian, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SCIUTTO: So, what should we be looking for tomorrow as Trump and Putin meet? Joining me now, Liana Fix. He's a fellow for Europe at the Council of Foreign Relations in Washington.

Liana, thank you so much for joining me.

LIANA FIX, FELLOW FOR EUROPE, COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS: Sure. Thanks so much.

SCIUTTO: You coauthored a piece for the Council on Foreign Relations that laid out what a good deal might look like here in Anchorage, and what a bad deal might look like. Can you summarize those two potential outcomes?

FIX: Well, a good deal in Anchorage would look like something that could be called an unconditional ceasefire, which means that both sides agree to just freezing the lines and then to further talks, especially between Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy, something that Vladimir Putin has not agreed to so far. He doesn't accept Volodymyr Zelenskyy as a conversation partner.

A bad deal would look like something that Ukraine could not accept. For example, a Russian promise to withdraw from some Ukrainian regions at a later point than Ukrainian withdrawals do. A ceasefire at a later point, after Ukrainian withdrawals. Anything of that would not fly with Europeans and with Ukrainians.

In a worst-case scenario, Trump would pressure Ukraine to accept an unacceptable deal.

SCIUTTO: Typically, two sides accept a peace agreement if they believe they have more to gain from peace than they do by continuing the war, or that their interests would be better served by continuing to fight.

Do you see either Russia or Ukraine as believing they could get more from peace than from war?

FIX: So, it is definitely Russia that, at the moment, thinks that time is on its side. Not only because the United States is not anymore providing, regularly, weapon deliveries to Ukraine, but also because of the recent battlefield advances from the Russian side.

Well, the White House tried to think about what could incentivize Vladimir Putin beyond Ukraine to make concessions, for example, bilateral trade deals between the U.S. and Russia. Especially the area of arms control, something which is important to Donald Trump. Nuclear arms control, a crucial agreement on that will run out in February next year.

But so far, we don't see that Vladimir Putin has really changed any of his core aims in Ukraine. And that any bilateral deals with the U.S. Could incentivize him to give real concessions. Ukraine is the most important prize to him.

SCIUTTO: How about Trump? Trump has certainly changed his rhetoric, to some degree, in recent weeks as relate to Russia. He's been more critical of Putin than he's been in the past.

But do you, from the U.S. president. see substantive change, in that Trump will back that rhetorical change with actual pressure and consequences for Russia if Putin doesn't give any ground here in Anchorage?

FIX: So, a substantial change from Donald Trump would mean that he would have some red lines in mind during his meeting with Vladimir Putin.

SCIUTTO: Yes.

FIX: And that's what Europeans and Ukrainians have tried to impress on him, to tell him, look, whenever Vladimir Putin brings up Ukraine's demobilization, that Ukraine has to get rid of its defense capabilities; whenever he brings up regime change in Ukraine, those are bright red lights, something that you should not go for.

And that might actually be helpful. That might lead to a result that -- where Donald Trump is more cautious than he was in Helsinki, 2018, the meeting where he basically repeated many of Russia's talking points, questioned his own intelligence community. So -- and he has threatened further sanctions on Russia. Even if that

doesn't come about immediately after the meeting, a meeting with not a lot of substance would still be better than a meeting where the U.S. and Russia join sides against Europe and Ukraine.

SCIUTTO: Yes. Yes, that would be -- well, from the Ukrainian perspective, that would be a catastrophic outcome, I imagine.

Liana Fix in Washington, thanks so much for joining us.

FIX: Absolutely. Thank you for having me.

SCIUTTO: Just ahead, conflicting statements about alleged talks over forcibly resettling Palestinians. We're going to get the latest details on Israel's ongoing war in Gaza.

[00:40:00]

Plus, Japan marks 80 years since it surrendered in World -- World War II, ending that conflict. How the country commemorated that historic day, coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VAUSE: The Israeli prime minister calls it voluntary migration, encouraging Palestinians in Gaza to leave the war-torn territory. And he says several countries are in active discussions as possible destinations.

But there have been mostly denials from those countries. In many cases, it would mean leaving one devastated conflict zone for another.

For Palestinians, rights groups, the United Nations and many countries in the region, Netanyahu's plan amounts to forced mass relocation and a war crime.

CNN's Oren Liebermann is in Jerusalem with details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has several times talked about what he has described as a voluntary --

LIEBERMANN (voice-over): -- emigration from Gaza, something he says other countries should accept and be willing to take in Palestinians who want to leave.

But he's never given any real details on this, and it's never been clear if this plan might actually come to fruition, or if there's even any traction behind it.

LIEBERMANN: Well, we've learned from a senior Israeli official that Israel is in talks with at least five different countries about the possibility of this plan.

LIEBERMANN (voice-over): Those countries include South Sudan, Libya, Ethiopia, Somaliland, and Indonesia.

LIEBERMANN: The problem is, a number of these countries have already rejected these talks. For example, South Sudan just a few days ago rejected the idea of talks about the displacement of Palestinians. Somaliland did the same several months ago.

And Indonesia, within the last week or two, said they could take in about 2,000 Gazans, but it would be for temporary treatment, and then they would return to Gaza.

So, it's not clear that any of the countries --

LIEBERMANN (voice-over): -- with which this official tells us Israel is discussing this plan are willing to entertain this beyond mere discussions.

Still, Netanyahu is pursuing this. We first really heard about this in terms of -- in terms of a goal of Israel, when it was, in fact, President Donald Trump who mentioned it earlier in his term at the beginning of the year. But he appears to have since cooled on the idea.

[00:45:03]

LIEBERMANN: Israel, meanwhile, is pushing forward, insisting this is not an ethnic cleansing of Gaza. It's not forcing people out, Netanyahu saying this would be voluntary.

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER (through translator): First of all, inside Gaza, we are not pushing them out either, but we are allowing them to leave.

It is happening very slowly. You need the receiving countries. We're talking to several countries. I can't detail it here.

The most natural thing would be for all those who say they're concerned for the Palestinians and want to help the Palestinians to open their doors. Why are they coming and preaching to us? Open your doors.

LIEBERMANN: Israel has never laid out a clear day-after plan for Gaza.

LIEBERMANN (voice-over): What would happen for more than 2 million Palestinians in the besieged territory?

This, potentially, is as close to a day-after plan for what to do with the Palestinians in Gaza as Israel has ever come.

LIEBERMANN: The problem is, it's unclear if this really has any possibility of happening.

Not to mention the fact that, for this to happen, you need Palestinians willing to permanently leave their home and permanently leave Gaza. And it's simply not clear that that's the case.

Oren Liebermann, CNN, in Jerusalem. (END VIDEOTAPE)

VAUSE: On this day 80 years ago, Japan's emperor announced the country's surrender to allied forces in World War II with one condition: the emperor remain as nominal head of state.

And in Tokyo Friday, Emperor Naruhito and the prime minister took part in a solemn ceremony. The events coincided with a series of memorials across Hiroshima and Nagasaki, where survivors from the nuclear bombings advocated for nuclear disarmament.

Other countries have also planned to celebrate the end of World War II across the Pacific.

Joining us now from Tokyo is CNN's Hanako Montgomery. So, Hanako, what more can you tell us about this ceremony today?

HANAKO MONTGOMERY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, John, I mean, the ceremony held today in Tokyo was a very somber event that marked 80 years since Japan's surrender during World War II.

And as you stated, the Japanese emperor, Naruhito, and also the Japanese prime minister, Shigeru Ishiba, were in attendance.

Now, they both gave addresses to the nation that really emphasized the importance of peace and also commemorated the millions of lives lost during the Second World War. Here's part of the Japanese prime minister, Shigeru Ishiba's, speech from earlier on Friday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHIGERU ISHIBA, JAPANESE PRIME MINISTER (through translator): No matter how much time passes, we will continue to pass on the painful memories of war and our unwavering determination to never again engage in war from generation to generation.

And we will continue to take action to achieve lasting peace.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MONTGOMERY: Now, 80 years ago today, when Japan surrendered, this news was widely celebrated in Allied countries, like in the United States, in the U.K., in France and other parts of Europe. It finally meant an end to the fighting and that the troops didn't have to go back to front lines.

But in Japan, again, this is a much more solemn day, a day of mourning for the millions of lives lost during the Second World War. And we see that across the nation, as people remember their family members and their loved ones who died in the war.

Now also significantly, John, this day really marks the beginning of a new era for Japan. It really departed from its military past and is now a nation that emphasizes the importance of peace.

Also, 80 years ago, it marked the beginning of U.S. occupation in Japan, under which Japan was rebuilt as a democratic country and also a nation with a lot of economic and industrial might, remnants of which we still see to this very day. Japan's economy is the fifth largest in the world.

But despite all of these changes, John, Japan hasn't fully acknowledged some of the wartime atrocities that its imperial army committed during World War II. Atrocities committed in, for instance, China, in Korea and Taiwan, other parts of Southeast Asia.

And because of this lack of acknowledgment, it has caused some political headaches and tensions with its neighboring countries.

So, it really just goes to show that despite it being 80 years now since the end of World War II for Japan, its military past definitely still shapes and influences its present -- John.

VAUSE: Absolutely. Hanako, thanks so much for being with us. Hanako Montgomery there in Tokyo.

Well, the U.S. and Russian president will soon arrive in Alaska for an historic summit. In a moment, some Russians are reminiscing about the good old days when the region went from a Russian colony. But then it went to a U.S. state.

Look at that symbolism. And is it a hometown advantage for Putin? More in a moment.

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[00:53:15]

SCIUTTO: In the coming hours, Donald Trump will head here to Anchorage, Alaska, for a summit, meeting with Vladimir Putin at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, which is just behind me, over my right shoulder here.

That meeting raising awareness of the storied past between the state of Alaska and Russia. Some nationalists in Russia believe that Alaska should still belong to Russia, as it did until the U.S. Purchased it way back in 1867.

CNN's Tom Foreman has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's not exactly a home- field advantage for Vladimir Putin. But Alaska might feel like home: a vast land with centuries-old cultural, political, business, and military ties to his country.

JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Every Russian knows that Alaska used to be part of Russia. And when you get into the kind of the far-right nationalists, they want it back.

TRUMP: I'm going to see Putin. I'm going to Russia on Friday.

FOREMAN (voice-over): President Trump stumbled this week in calling Alaska "Russia."

But some Russian commentators are speaking clearly.

"Alaska is our wound that never heals," one said on Russian TV.

Why? In the 1700s, Alaska was claimed by the Russian empire, a place where Russian fur traders violently pushed aside and enslaved native people, and Russian missionaries established orthodox churches, dozens of which still exist.

When the United States bought Alaska in 1867 for just over $7 million, or $0.02 an acre, many Americans considered it a foolish deal, until vast reserves of natural resources proved otherwise.

Ever since, some Russians have persisted in their belief that they were swindled, and Alaska remains as much Russian as American.

[00:55:06]

"The descendants of Russian colonists," another commentator notes. "For them, everything around is part of a common heritage."

The two nations are physically quite close: about two and a half miles separate islands belonging to Russia and Alaska.

Mainland to mainland, it's about 55 miles.

SARAH PALIN (R), FORMER VICE-PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: You can actually see Russia from land here in Alaska.

FOREMAN (voice-over): So, while Republican vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin was ridiculed for this comment in 2008 --

TINA FEY, FORMER CAST MEMBER, NBC'S "SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE": I can see Russia from my house.

FOREMAN: -- she was also right.

In World War II, when the Soviet Union was an American ally, some downed Soviet pilots were buried in Alaska. The summit will take place near their graves.

And even though the Cold War saw Alaska emerge as a powerful military position for keeping an eye on the Soviets, plenty of Russians still nostalgically eye Alaska.

DOUGHERTY: Land, territory, language, culture, history that is really important to Russians. So, when they look at Alaska, it's all there. And they remember, "It used to be ours."

FOREMAN: And of course, all of this could play into an idea central to Russia's argument about Ukraine: the notion that just because some land was once part of one nation doesn't mean it can't be part of another.

Tom Foreman, CNN, Washington. (END VIDEOTAPE)

SCIUTTO: Well, the people of Alaska might have something to say about that.

Well, Russian vendors are hoping to cash in on the summit. Souvenirs featuring the presidents of Russia and the United States are popping up just ahead of Friday's meeting here in Anchorage. Nesting dolls depicting the two leaders drawing attention in Moscow.

The billionaire Elon Musk, as well as a variety of Arab leaders, also make appearances in those traditional Russian dolls.

Well, thanks so much for watching CNN NEWSROOM this hour. I'm Jim Sciutto. I'll be back with more news right at the top of this hour.

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