You've probably seen the headlines swirling around social media or caught a snippet of a cable news pundit speculating about the next "big one." Everyone wants to know the exact schedule: what time will Trump and Putin meet to finally settle the score on Ukraine or nuclear arms? Honestly, if you’re looking for a countdown clock or a confirmed 9:00 AM start time for a summit today, you’re going to be disappointed.
As of mid-January 2026, there is no officially scheduled face-to-face meeting on the books between President Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.
Now, don't get me wrong. The back channels are screaming. Just yesterday, reports surfaced from Bloomberg that White House envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are eyeing a trip to Moscow this very month. They’re trying to nail down a date. But a firm "time" for the big bosses to sit across from each other? That hasn’t happened yet. We’re currently in a period of high-stakes diplomatic "will-they-won't-they," and the details are messier than a DC snowstorm.
What Time Will Trump and Putin Meet? Looking at the January Window
If a meeting actually happens this month, history tells us how it’ll go down. When they met at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska back in August 2025, the timing was tight. Trump touched down at 10:22 AM. Putin landed at 10:55 AM. They were shaking hands on the red carpet by 11:08 AM.
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If Witkoff and Kushner manage to grease the wheels in Moscow this week, we might see a late-January summit. Why then? Because the New START treaty—the last big nuclear deal—expires on February 5, 2026.
Basically, the clock isn't just a suggestion; it's a deadline. Trump recently told The New York Times that if the treaty expires, "it expires," and he’ll just make a "better agreement." But behind the scenes, there is massive pressure to get both men in a room before that February cutoff. If they meet, expect it to be a daytime affair, likely starting around 11:00 AM local time, wherever they decide to hide from the press.
Why the Delay? It’s Not Just About Schedules
You might wonder why they don't just hop on a Zoom call and be done with it. It’s complicated. Russia just rejected a core part of the "Trump Peace Plan" for Ukraine—the bit about European peacekeepers. Maria Zakharova, the Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson, basically called the idea a "direct threat."
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There’s also the Iran factor. Unrest in Tehran has apparently caused some "timing slip" in the planned Moscow visits for the US envoys. Diplomacy is kinda like a house of cards; you move one piece in the Middle East, and the whole Russia schedule wobbles.
Recent Near-Misses and Direct Contacts
- The December 2025 Moscow Visit: Witkoff and Kushner actually spent five hours with Putin. Five hours! And still, no breakthrough.
- The January 7 Phone Calls: Trump spent his Wednesday morning withdrawing the US from 66 international organizations, but he hasn't yet picked up the phone for a formal "scheduling" call with the Kremlin this week.
- The Davos Factor: Trump is headed to the World Economic Forum in Davos (January 19–23). While Putin isn't expected there, don't rule out a "surprise" side-trip or a meeting in a nearby European capital.
The Alaska 2025 Precedent
To understand the likely timing of a 2026 meeting, we have to look at their last encounter. It was a three-on-three meeting. No more "just the two of us" with only translators. Marco Rubio and Steve Witkoff were right there in the room.
The meeting lasted about three hours. It was intense. Reports suggest Trump even threatened to walk out when Putin started giving one of his signature history lectures. If they meet in 2026, expect a similar window—likely a three-to-four-hour session in the middle of the day, followed by a press conference where they probably won't take many questions.
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How to Track the Real-Time Announcement
If you're refreshing your feed waiting for the "what time" answer, keep an eye on the FAA flight restrictions. That’s the real tell. In August, the FAA issued a Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) over Anchorage days before the public knew the exact timing.
Watch for TFRs around:
- Reykjavik, Iceland (A classic neutral ground)
- Geneva, Switzerland (Post-Davos possibility)
- Helsinki, Finland (The 2018 throwback)
Actionable Insights for the Week Ahead
The situation is fluid, but you can stay ahead of the curve by watching these specific indicators over the next 72 hours.
- Monitor the Witkoff-Kushner Moscow Trip: If they land in Russia before January 20, a Trump-Putin summit will almost certainly be announced for the final week of January.
- Check the New START Countdown: If we hit February 1 without a meeting time, the treaty will likely lapse, changing the entire tone of any future encounter.
- Watch the State Department Briefings: Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been more transparent than his predecessors about "upcoming engagements," even if he doesn't give the exact minute-by-minute.
Honestly, the "time" is less about the clock and more about the concessions. Until Putin moves on the peacekeeper issue or Trump moves on the sanctions, the meeting is just a ghost on the calendar.