As former Russian territory sold to the United States in 1867, Alaska carries a symbolic weight — a bridge between two nations linked by history and the Arctic, even as they stand on opposite sides of a war.

Russian President Vladimir Putin's likely route to the U.S. this week is a short one: just 55 miles across the Bering Strait from Chukotka to Alaska. The path avoids third-party countries and contested airspace and would be coordinated with U.S. authorities for security.

Putin is expected to arrive at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, outside Anchorage, home to the Alaskan NORAD Region headquarters, which monitors and defends U.S. airspace in the north.

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Alaska is America's front line in the Arctic, home to nine major military bases and central to U.S. defense strategy in a region where Russia is also expanding its footprint. The state's strategic importance is clear to both Washington and Moscow.

Putin has warned that NATO countries are "increasingly designating the far north as a staging area for possible conflicts."

Earlier this year, U.S. troops from Alaska joined NATO allies for "Arctic Forge" in Finland — a multinational war game simulating a NATO ally under attack. The scenario didn't name an enemy, but the implication was clear.

Now, the Arctic is potentially part of the bargaining table. Russia — the largest Arctic power — is framing energy and infrastructure as the real prize ahead of the summit. The region holds 13% of the world's undiscovered oil and 30% of its natural gas, making it a geopolitical asset with economic incentives for both countries.

The stakes for Ukraine are high. Any Arctic agreements could serve as leverage in negotiations over the war — traded for land, or for peace.