In a surprising twist to last week’s Putin-Trump summit in Anchorage, a local resident walked away with an unusual memento — a brand-new motorcycle from Russian President Vladimir Putin.
According to Russian state television, Anchorage resident Mark Warren received the unexpected gift after catching the attention of Russian reporters who were covering the high-profile meeting.
The presentation of the bike took place in the parking lot of the hotel where the Russian delegation was staying. Andrei Ledenev, an employee of the Russian embassy in the United States, handed Warren the keys, declaring: “I have to say that this is a personal gift from the President of the Russian Federation.”
The motorcycle, a gleaming Ural model, replaces Warren’s older version of the same brand. In video footage aired by Russian media, the white-haired, bespectacled Alaskan was seen climbing aboard his new ride, joined by Ledenev and another man in the sidecar, before taking it for a short spin.
Clearly moved, Warren remarked: “It’s night and day. I like my old one, but this one is obviously much better. I’m speechless, it’s amazing. Thank you very much.”
A Chance Encounter Leads to a Presidential Gift
The gift came about after Russian Channel 1 journalist Valentin Bogdanov encountered Warren on the streets of Anchorage prior to the summit. Bogdanov admired Warren’s old Ural motorcycle, sparking a conversation about the challenges he faced in sourcing replacement parts. Warren explained that he struggled to obtain essentials like a new starter, since the original manufacturing facilities were based in Ukraine.
When asked if resolving the conflict between Russia and Ukraine during the summit would benefit him, Warren replied candidly: “Yes, it will be good.”
Ural’s Complicated Legacy
The Ural brand has a storied history, with its first factory established in 1941 in Soviet Russia. Today, however, the company insists that its motorcycles are assembled in Kazakhstan, with headquarters in Washington State, USA. Following the start of Russia’s full-scale war in Ukraine, the company pulled its production entirely out of Russia.
Ural has yet to issue a statement regarding the unusual publicity generated by Putin’s gift.
