US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin met on 15/8 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska for a summit, their first face-to-face meeting since 2019.

As the two leaders walked the red carpet, President Trump looked straight ahead, arms outstretched, seemingly showcasing the scale of the event and the waiting press.

At that moment, a formation of stealth aircraft, including a B-2 bomber and four F-35 fighters, flew overhead. The two leaders paused to look up as the formation passed. Four F-22 stealth fighters were also positioned on either side of the red carpet, just behind the joint photo platform.

Trump and Putin then boarded the presidential limousine, "The Beast," to travel to their meeting location, passing more F-22s and a second B-2 at the base.

The B-2 bomber is considered a symbol of US military power, while the F-22 and F-35 are among Washington's most advanced stealth fighters. The operating and maintenance costs for these aircraft are substantial, and they are rarely deployed for welcoming foreign leaders.

Experts believe the display at Elmendorf-Richardson, as well as the deployment of F-22 and F-35 fighters to escort Putin's plane, were among several unusual steps taken by President Trump before, during, and after the summit.

President Trump had recently expressed dissatisfaction with Putin due to stalled negotiations over the Ukraine conflict, yet maintained that they had a good relationship and mutual respect. This contrasted sharply with Trump's reception of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

A B-2 bomber and four F-35 fighters perform a flyover at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson on 15/8. Photo: AFP

However, observers suggest this could also be a display of US military might before Trump's crucial meeting with Putin.

"The B-2 Spirit bomber was designed during the late Cold War to carry out nuclear strikes against the Soviet Union. They are often used by the US to send strategic deterrence signals to adversaries," said Joseph Trevithick, editor of the military website War Zone.

The B-2s are not based in Alaska like the F-22 and F-35 fighters. They flew thousands of kilometers from a base in Missouri. US officials confirmed they were deployed for Putin's welcome, not for the Northern Edge 2025 exercise as some experts initially speculated.

"Even if the B-2s' primary purpose was to participate in Northern Edge 2025, their presence was a 'fortunate coincidence' allowing the US to send a message and project strength to Putin and the Russian delegation," Trevithick said.

Shows of force are part of Trump's "peace through strength" strategy. "Extremely impressive. Now Putin knows what awaits him if he crosses the line," one social media comment quoted by Fox News said.

F-22 fighters lined up beside the red carpet at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson on 15/8. Photo: CNN

The presence of F-22 and F-35 fighters at the welcome ceremony also carried specific meaning. They are regularly scrambled from the region to monitor Russian military aircraft within the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ). Such encounters have increased since Russia resumed strategic bomber patrols near US airspace.

It remains unclear whether Trump's show of force had its intended effect, but both leaders expressed positive sentiments after the summit. Putin announced they had reached agreements and hoped Ukraine and Europe would not hinder the process of ending the conflict. Trump assessed that Washington and Moscow had made substantial progress, even without concrete agreements.

Pham Giang (According to War Zone, Air & Space Forces, Task and Purpose)