An eight-page packet containing details such as the gift President Trump planned to present to Vladimir Putin and the expected menu for their meal was reportedly left behind in a printer at a hotel in Anchorage just hours before their closely watched summit on Ukraine.
The mishap, while awkward, did not reveal any highly sensitive material — since most of the summit schedule at Joint Base Elmendorf–Richardson had already been made public — but the story spread quickly once it was picked up by NPR.
According to the outlet, three guests at the upscale Hotel Captain Cook stumbled upon the pages in the machine of a shared business center.
Among the papers were two sheets describing the menu for a luncheon that was later called off. The planned courses included filet mignon served with a brandy peppercorn sauce and a salad topped with champagne vinaigrette. Another page displayed a seating arrangement that placed both presidents at the head of a conference-style table.
Other pages included profiles with names and photos of the officials expected to take part in an expanded session between the U.S. and Russian delegations. Instructions on one of the sheets noted that the Russian president’s name should be pronounced “POO-tihn.”
The printout further disclosed that Trump’s chosen gift for Putin was a small statue of an American bald eagle designed for a desk. It also listed the personal phone numbers of three advance team staffers tasked with organizing the events.
While most of the agenda items had already been released by the White House, many of the plans were later scrapped or shortened. Trump shifted away from pushing for an immediate cease-fire, ultimately leaving Alaska and returning to Washington expressing hope that he could secure a broader peace agreement.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is scheduled to arrive at the White House on Monday. His meeting will focus on Putin’s demand that Ukraine cede the remaining parts of Donetsk province in exchange for an international peacekeeping force — one that could include British and French troops — to help deter further Russian aggression.
{Matzav.com}
