Brent crude rose 1.63% to $66.70 and WTI gained 1.74% to $63.74 on Thursday, as of 11:50 a.m. ET, with traders positioning ahead of a closely watched meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska. The talks, expected to touch on Arctic oil and gas development as well as the war in Ukraine, come as markets weigh the potential for new energy cooperation or geopolitical friction between two of the world’s top producers. Traders are watching for any indications of an easing of sanctions, which could…