A rally planned in Anchorage to protest against the summit between Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin will see locals voice their support for Ukraine and disapproval of the Russian president on U.S. soil, organizers have said.
The group Stand UP Alaska is organizing an event to take place downtown in the state’s biggest city on Thursday, ahead of the much anticipated meeting between the U.S. and Russian leaders to discuss the war in Ukraine.
Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy has praised the fact that the state will host the Trump-Putin meeting.
Newsweek has reached out to Stand UP Alaska outside working hours.
Why It Matters
Putin’s first appearance on U.S. soil in a decade has divided opinion, especially after his aggression in attacking Ukraine resulted in him being diplomatically sidelined by the West.
Protests in Anchorage will focus on Putin’s status as an alleged war criminal, following a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) which has accused him of a policy of abducting Ukrainian children.
What To Know
Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin are scheduled to meet on August 15 at the Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage.
The day before, a protest will take place from 4.30 p.m. in Midtown Mall, in the center of Anchorage, at two of busiest intersections in the city which has a population of around 290,000.
On Friday, a press conference will take place at noon, and another rally will take place at 5.30 p.m.
Erin Jackson-Hill, executive director of Stand UP Alaska and one of the protest organizers told Ukrainian outlet Ukrinform it was too early to estimate how many would turn up but the last rally organized by the group drew around 7,000 people.
She said the key slogan of the rally will be “Alaska Supports Ukraine” and that the protest would express anger at an authoritarian leader being invited to the state and that Putin was a war criminal who should not be on American soil.
Putin cannot travel to many countries a because he has been indicted for war crimes by the ICC which the U.S. does not recognize.
Wayne Jordash, president of Global Rights Compliance which support Ukraine’s efforts documenting Russian war crimes told Newsweek in a statement Wednesday that any ceasefire deal agreed in Alaska that forces Ukraine into conceding its sovereign territory will amount to a violation of the U.N. Charter.
He added that a ceasefire must be accompanied by a credible deal which delivers a path to justice for Ukrainian civilians.
What People Are Saying
Erin Jackson-Hill, executive director of Stand UP Alaska: “Alaska stands with Ukraine, and we don’t appreciate authoritarian dictators being invited to our state, especially not by our governor or congressional delegation. (Putin) is a war criminal, and he has no place on American soil.”
Wayne Jordash, president of Global Rights Compliance: “Any ceasefire deal agreed in Alaska that forces Ukraine into conceding its sovereign territory will amount to a violation of the U.N. Charter … and an abandonment of Ukrainian civilians living under brutal Russian occupation.”
What Happens Next
The protest in the center of Anchorage will take place on Thursday, while on the day of the summit, another gathering is expected to take place.
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