Putin's twitching feet during talks with Trump spark speculation

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visibly shaky legs during his farewell to US President Donald Trump at the Alaska summit have sparked speculation if he was wearing some extra thick-soled shoes.

Many claimed that Putin was wearing the height-boosting shoes to minimise his height difference with the 6ft3 inch-tall US president.

A video showing Putin twitching legs uncontrollably also drew attention from Ukrainian media, with some outlets suggesting that the 71-year-old may have been wearing height-boosting footwear to reduce the stark difference between himself and Trump, who stands 6ft 3in tall. Putin is reported to be around 5ft 7in.

Times of Ukraine said: “Attention — Putin's legs. What is wrong with them?”

Discreet video shows Putin and Trump engaged in friendly chit-chat on sidelines of Alaska talks pic.twitter.com/yoKEYCRytb

— Catch Up (@CatchUpFeed) August 15, 2025

One Ukrainian publication described his “jelly-like legs,” while others speculated that unusually thick soles or even an exoskeleton device could have been behind the awkward twitching.

“Putin seems to have achieved his goal, but he is twitching suspiciously. His legs are shaking. Maybe his shoes are too tight,” one Telegram channel noted.

The Kremlin has long dismissed persistent rumors about Putin’s health, including claims that he suffers from Parkinson’s disease or cancer. However, Friday’s footage added fresh fuel to ongoing speculation about the Russian president’s physical condition.

Also Read: Trump-Putin Alaska meeting leaves Ukraine conflict unresolved

The summit at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson marked a rare in-person meeting between the two leaders. Trump later described the talks as “great and very successful,” adding that Putin had expressed a desire for a complete end to the war in Ukraine rather than a temporary ceasefire.

The US president departed Alaska aboard Air Force One shortly after the summit and returned to Washington early Saturday morning.