In Alaska, on the eve of the Trump-Putin summit, pro-Ukrainian demonstrations took place across the state. At least 16 rallies were scheduled from Thursday through Saturday, spanning Fairbanks, Kodiak, and Ketchikan, all aimed at showing solidarity with Ukraine.
“First and foremost, our goal is to stand with our brothers and sisters in Ukraine and let them know that we’ve watched in horror as their country has been under attack for more than three years,” said Nicole Collins, organiser of the Ketchikan Mayday for Democracy group, in an interview with The Alaska Beacon. “Even though we live on this island in southeast Alaska, we are part of the global community, and we want them to know that we see them and we stand with them.” Collins began holding monthly protests this spring after her group watched the meeting between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
She added that the rallies were also a way to voice outrage over Putin’s invitation and reception. “Our second aim is to show our disgust that a war criminal is being welcomed on our precious Alaskan soil, on U.S. soil, and that our president is showing admiration for a dictator who has come from Russia,” Collins said.
Riza Smith, an organiser from Anchorage who previously served at the JBER base, said hosting Putin in Alaska felt like a step backward. “If Russia decides to escalate against the U.S., we’re right next door. If they say, ‘Hey, we want this piece of land’ or ‘Hey, we want these resources,’ we’re right here,” she said.
Smith noted that the rallies weren’t just about protesting Putin—they were also a rebuke of the Trump administration. “I think people are tired of corruption. We’re tired of leaders trying to take what doesn’t belong to them. The clearest example of that is Russia and Ukraine. Putin has overstepped his bounds repeatedly with Ukraine. Donald Trump has overstepped his bounds repeatedly with Alaska, making these different claims, like offering to sell resources,” she said.
Ukrainian flags were on display throughout the rallies, along with a host of creative signs. One read: “I can see fascists from my house,” a wordplay referencing a Saturday Night Live parody of former governor Sarah Palin’s 2008 comment about Alaska’s closeness to Russia. Another warned: “Putin won’t stop at Ukraine,” reflecting concerns among some Alaskans that the Russian leader might try to assert influence over the northernmost U.S. state. Other signs carried messages such as “Alaska stands with Ukraine,” “Invaders don’t get a seat at the table,” and “Slava Ukraini.” Some also voiced anti-Trump sentiment, including slogans like “No kings.”
Protester Helen Sharratt, a 65-year-old Anchorage resident, called the absence of Ukraine’s president from the summit “just colonialism, again and again.” “This is about Ukraine. This isn’t about America. This isn’t really about Russia, except that Russia invaded Ukraine and needs to leave. There’s nothing to negotiate. I mean, what is Zelensky supposed to give up in exchange? He just wants to affirm his borders,” Sharratt told Reuters.
Former Voice of America journalist Ostap Yarysh reported that hundreds turned out for the demonstration in Anchorage, mostly Americans, with some travelling from other states. “There were a lot of flags and signs. Drivers passing by kept honking in support. Similar rallies were planned in Fairbanks, Juneau, and other towns across the state. There will be even more demonstrations. Alaska stands with Ukraine at this critically important time,” he wrote.
The protesters’ cautious mood mirrors the findings of a new survey showing that most Americans lack confidence in Trump’s ability to make decisions about the Russian war against Ukraine. Nearly 60% of respondents surveyed by the Pew Research Center said they were either “not too confident” or “not at all confident” that the U.S. president could make “wise decisions” about the deadliest conflict in Europe since World War II.
The share of Americans who believe Trump can make sound decisions on the war has fallen since July 2024, during the presidential campaign. Today, just 40% say they have at least some confidence in him — down 5 percentage points from a year ago.
The decline is driven largely by Republicans. Last summer, 81% of them expressed trust in Trump’s decisions on the war; now that figure stands at 73%. Among Democrats, confidence has remained low, dropping slightly from 12% to 11%.
