President Trump announced on Monday his plans to utilize an upcoming summit in Alaska to assess whether Russian President Vladimir Putin is prepared to conclude his ongoing war in Ukraine. Trump expressed disappointment regarding Putin's previous actions, suggesting a cautious approach to the meeting. “This is really a feel-out meeting, a little bit,” he told reporters, indicating that he would likely gauge the potential for a deal within the first two minutes of their conversation.
During his remarks, Trump noted, “I may say, 'Lots of luck, keep fighting.' Or I may say, 'We can make a deal.'” This statement underscores Trump's long-standing commitment to leverage his relationship with Putin to facilitate an end to the war, which has now persisted for four years. However, concerns remain among Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European allies, who fear that Putin may attempt to annex significant portions of Ukrainian territory.
Trump acknowledged that he anticipates land-swapping might be a component of any potential agreement. “Russia has occupied a big portion of Ukraine. They've occupied some very prime territory. We're going to try and get some of that territory back for Ukraine,” he stated, reflecting his intention to advocate for Ukrainian sovereignty during the discussions.
In light of the sensitive nature of these negotiations, European leaders are urging Trump to collaborate closely with Zelenskyy prior to the meeting. Trump confirmed that he intends to engage in discussions with the Ukrainian president and European allies both before and immediately after the summit. “I'm talking to the European leaders. I'll be talking to President Zelenskyy. I'm going to get everybody's ideas. I go into that thing — fully loaded — right up there — and we're going to see what happens,” he said, emphasizing his commitment to a comprehensive approach.
This upcoming meeting marks the first face-to-face encounter between Trump and Putin since 2019, highlighting the significance of this diplomatic engagement. Trump further suggested that a subsequent meeting should be arranged between Zelenskyy and Putin. “I'll be there if they need, but I want to have a meeting set up between the two leaders,” he concluded, signaling his willingness to facilitate direct dialogue between the conflicting parties.
