It was a welcome tailored for a close friend, not a war criminal, and it looked to the Ukrainians like their nightmare.

President Trump landed at 10:20 a.m. local time at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, for a high-stakes meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin as he tries to broker a cease-fire between Russia and Ukraine.

Local officials, military personnel and businesses are scrambling to figure out basic details and get ready for an influx of visitors ahead of President Donald Trump’s visit Friday for a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Anchorage, where the two will discuss the war in Ukraine.