| President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin landed today in a city that is bursting at the seams. Tourist-friendly Anchorage, Alaska, was already bustling with crowds at the height of the season, and the highly anticipated meeting between the two leaders has brought in a deluge of journalists from around the world, government delegations and a massive assembly of security personnel. As I checked into my hotel last night, the desk clerk rated the frenzy level in the city since the summit was announced just a week ago at 11 on a scale of one to 10.  Putin and Trump greet each other after landing in Anchorage. Photographer: Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP/Getty Images Planning for such a massive event was compressed into a week’s time, straining the system, as my colleague Myles Miller reported. The city’s hotels have limited space and the available rental car fleet is relatively small compared to larger US cities. My uber driver, Jerry Wilson, recounted coming across stranded travelers whose flights or hotels were canceled in the past few days and noted that the security presence could be seen and felt. He said there were a smattering of demonstrations yesterday. (About 1,000 Ukrainian refugees have been resettled in the state since Russia’s invasion, according to the Anchorage Daily News.) Overall, though, Wilson said the “historic” event brought a boost of optimism and energy to the city. By late in the evening on the eve of the summit Anchorage was calm. There were few people on the streets, which were still lit up by the pink and purple streaks of the late sunset’s afterglow. Trump shook hands with Putin on the tarmac at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, less than 1,000 miles from Russian territory, shortly before their formal talks began. In an unusual move, Trump and Putin rode together in the armored US presidential limousine to the meeting site on the base. Trump has spent the past several days downplaying expectations, suggesting that a potential second meeting — which he floated could also take place in Alaska — would be the more important meeting because it would include Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and potentially European leaders. On the way to Alaska, Trump posted on social media and sat for an interview with Fox News’ Bret Baier aboard Air Force One. “I’m not here to negotiate for Ukraine” the president told Baier. “I’m here to get them at the table.” — Hadriana Lowenkron Key Reading: | 
