Vladimir Putin looked visibly startled as U.S. fighter jets roared overhead during his meeting with Donald Trump in Alaska. Moments earlier, the two leaders shook hands for the first time since 2018, before walking toward Trump’s motorcade. Suddenly, a B-2 bomber and four F-35 jets flew above, prompting Putin to pause and glance skyward.

Trump, unfazed, clapped his hands in celebration of the dramatic military display. “The B-2 is one of our most advanced aircraft,” he noted. The high-profile meeting at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson comes as both leaders prepare to discuss a potential end to the war in Ukraine.

Accompanied by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, Trump signaled he would “leave quickly” if talks stalled. Putin arrived with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and top adviser Yuri Ushakov. In a rare move, Putin joined Trump in his presidential vehicle, smiling as they headed to a press conference.

Whether this powerful opening was diplomacy or strategy, the world is watching to see if it leads to real progress in peace talks.