President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are scheduled to meet Friday at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, to discuss the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

Russia's decision to sell Alaska was influenced by its financial struggles following the Crimean War and the desire to strengthen ties with the United States, a fellow rival of Great Britain. Selling Alaska provided Russia with much-needed cash and ensured that Britain would not gain control of the territory.

U.S. President Donald Trump said he and Russian President Vladimir Putin did not reach a deal to end Russia’s war in Ukraine after talks in Alaska on Friday, as the two leaders offered scant details on what was discussed but heaped praise on one another.

Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin agreed at their summit in Alaska last week that the U.S. would be able to offer security guarantees to Ukraine, according to Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy,

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov held calls on Saturday with his Turkish and Hungarian counterparts, the Russian foreign ministry said, hours after a summit between the U.S. and Russian presidents yielded no deal on ending the war in Ukraine.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday said the U.S. is still holding out hope for a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, despite President Donald Trump failing to secure one during Friday's summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin.