President Trump departs for high stakes meeting with Putin

Geopolitical Event - A meeting between the US and Russian presidents is scheduled in Alaska to discuss ending the war in Ukraine [1] - The US president expresses optimism about a potential deal with Russia [2] - The meeting is expected to be a one-on-one discussion with translators, followed by a bilateral lunch [4] - A joint press conference after the meeting would indicate positive progress [4] Negotiation Points - The US president has reportedly told European leaders that territorial issues will not be negotiated [6] - There are reports that the US president is considering offering access to rare earth minerals to Russia [6] - The key question is what incentives the US president can offer Russia that Ukraine will accept [7] - The Ukrainian president will not be at this meeting, but a future meeting involving all three parties is possible [7] Market Anticipation - The first indicator of the meeting's progress will be the warmth of the greeting between the two presidents [4] - The market anticipates potential trades embedded in the outcome of the meeting and future discussions [8] - The US president will brief reporters after the meeting, but the timing is uncertain [5]