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Much of the lead-up to President Donald Trump’s summit on U.S. soil with his Russian counterpart, President Vladimir Putin, in hopes of ushering in a ceasefire or peaceful resolution to the years-long Russia-Ukraine war, could be described as boisterous. A huge part of the fanfare during the formal; greeting ceremony on the base tarmac, as you may have already seen, was a majestic flyover by a B-2 stealth bomber flanked by an entourage of U.S. military jets
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) August 17, 2025
As my colleague Katie Jerkovich wrote, the show of American might, from the get-go, certainly got Putin’s attention:
It was clear Putin wasn’t expecting it. He stopped walking with Trump, looked up, turned his head one way, then turned his head the other way, as he looked up at the sky filled with the US military. Trump also stopped at one point but appeared to be unbothered as he clapped his hands before he leaned over and said something to the foreign leader.
And it’s only right that the news cycle heading into the weekend and through Saturday has been dominated by the Russia-U.S. summit in Alaska, with the latest update on a possible breakthrough on getting Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky talking to each other appearing to bode well over the next 24-48 hours. Zelensky has accepted Pres. Trump’s invitation to meet in D.C, on Monday.
SEE: Watch: Putin’s Reaction to Trump’s Incredible Military Flex in Alaska
Those political chess pieces will only continue to shift, of course, with so much on the line for not only the people of Russia and Ukraine, but millions across the European Union.
But a quiet moment took place in the middle of all the loud bluster and pomp, with a new report on something else that happened in the minutes ahead of the meet-up. First Lady Melania Trump wrote a personal plea for peace in a letter to Pres. Putin.
Fox News Digital reporter Brooke Singman describes the “peace letter” in her exclusive reporting after the outlet obtained a copy of it:
EXCLUSIVE: I obtained @FLOTUS Melania Trump’s “peace letter” to Russian President Putin. She says “it is time.” https://t.co/IHMHpiCsCI pic.twitter.com/gssfxDNeqY
— Brooke Singman (@BrookeSingman) August 16, 2025
Fox News Digital exclusively obtained the “peace letter” the first lady penned to Putin, which President Trump hand-delivered to the Russian leader before their summit in Alaska, Fox News Digital has learned.
Fox News states that the Russian leader reportedly read the missive before the two world leaders convened the summit behind closed doors.
As can be seen in the screenshot in the X post above, “Mrs. Trump’s [letter] was written” on Thursday in order to be included in Friday’s meet-up. And to add
The official X account from First Lady Melania Trump also just shared the story with her nearly 540,000 followers:
First Lady Melania Trump’s ‘peace letter’ to Putin: ‘It is time’https://t.co/oHbL49cnrA
— First Lady Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) August 16, 2025
Melania’s letter reads in full:
“Dear President Putin,
Every child shares the same quiet dreams in their heart, whether born randomly into a nation’s rustic countryside or a magnificent city-center. They dream of love, possibility, and safety from danger.
As parents, it is our duty to nurture the next generation’s hope. As leaders, the responsibility to sustain our children extends beyond the comfort of a few.
Undeniably, we must strive to paint a dignity-filled world for all – so that every soul may wake to peace, and so that the future itself is perfectly guarded.
A simple yet profound concept, Mr. Putin, as I am sure you agree, is that each generation’s descendants begin their lives with a purity – an innocence which stands above geography, government, and ideology.
Yet in today’s world, some children are forced to carry a quiet laughter, untouched by the darkness around them – a silent defiance against the forces that can potentially claim their future. Mr. Putin, you can singlehandedly restore their melodic laughter.
In protecting the innocence of these children, you will do more than serve Russia alone – you serve humanity itself. Such a bold idea transcends all human division, and you, Mr. Putin, are fit to implement this vision with a stroke of the pen today.
It is time.
Sincerely,
Melania Trump”
Everyone will be watching around the world for what happens on Monday at the White House meeting between Pres. Trump and President Zelensky–with a possible trilateral summit down the road. RedState will bring you updates as they become available, as usual. Stay tuned.
In the meantime, the part of Melania’s letter that most touched me was the evoking of children’s laughter – whether “quiet” or “melodic.” And if you’re of a certain generation, the music video below (“Russians,” from Sting’s debut album in 1985) will already be on your mind because of those resonant words.
We share the same biology,
Regardless of ideology.
Believe me when I say to you,
I hope the Russians love their children, too.
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