Russian Delegation Pays $250,000 Cash for Jet Fuel Due to US Sanctions During Alaska Meeting

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s delegation paid nearly $250,000 in cash to refuel three jets during a stopover in Alaska on August 15, 2025, due to US banking sanctions that prevent Russia from using the American financial system.

The cash payment occurred when Putin arrived in Alaska for a meeting with US President Donald Trump. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed the incident during an NBC interview, explaining that the Russian delegation “had to offer to pay in cash to refuel their aeroplanes because they can’t use our banking system.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s team stayed in Alaska for about five hours before leaving following a joint press conference. The nearly three-hour meeting between Putin and Trump ended without any agreement to end the war in Ukraine. Trump confirmed that “no deal” was reached.

Senator Marco Rubio said Tuesday that all sanctions on Russia from previous administrations are still in effect. “Every sanction that existed when he took office remains, and their effects continue,” Rubio said. He added, however, that the sanctions “have not changed the direction of this war.”

When asked about imposing additional sanctions to force Russia into a ceasefire, Rubio expressed skepticism about their immediate effectiveness. He explained that Russia already faces severe sanctions and noted that “sanctions take months and sometimes years to bite.”

Reports indicate that Russia made an offer during the summit, with some suggestions that Trump encouraged Ukraine to consider it. However, the Alaska summit produced only general remarks about progress on unspecified topics without delivering concrete measures toward a ceasefire.

On Monday, President Trump held separate meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and several European leaders to discuss long-term security guarantees for Ukraine. Zelenskyy said he was “ready” for direct talks with Putin but made it clear that he would not accept any proposals that involved giving up Ukrainian land.