Washington — President Trump stated Monday that he anticipated to find out mere moments into his assembly with Russian President Vladimir Putin this week whether or not it might be doable to work out a deal to halt the warfare in Ukraine.
“At the end of that meeting, probably the first two minutes, I’ll know exactly whether or not a deal can be made,” Mr. Trump stated at a White Home press convention the place he introduced plans for a federal takeover of Washington’s police drive to assist fight crime.
He stated he thought Friday’s sitdown with Putin in Alaska could be “really a feel-out meeting.” Mr. Trump added that “it’ll be good, but it might be bad” and predicted he might say, “lots of luck, keep fighting. Or I may say, we can make a deal.”
Putin desires to lock in Russia’s beneficial properties since invading Ukraine in February 2022 as Mr. Trump presses for a ceasefire that has remained out of attain. Mr. Trump’s eagerness to achieve a deal has raised fears in Ukraine and Europe about such an settlement favoring Russia, with out adequate enter from Ukraine. Mr. Trump has alternately harshly criticized each leaders after promising — and up to now failing — to swiftly finish the battle.
NATO Secretary Common Mark Rutte advised “Face the Nation” on Sunday that “it is important to see how serious Putin is, and the only one who can do that is President Trump.”
“It’s really crucial that a meeting takes place. It will not be the final say on this,” Rutte stated. “Of course, Ukraine will have to be involved in Europe, but it is important to start the next phase of this process, putting pressure on the Russians, exactly as President Trump has been doing over the last six months.”
NATO head says Trump is “testing Putin” with Alaska assembly
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Mr. Trump on Monday ducked repeated possibilities to say that he would push for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to participate in his discussions with Putin, and was particularly dismissive of Zelenskyy and his must be a part of an effort to hunt peace.
He stated the Ukrainian president had been to “a lot of meetings” with out managing to halt a warfare that Russia began. Mr. Trump additionally famous that Zelenskyy had been in energy in the course of the warfare and stated “nothing happened” throughout that point. He contrasted that with Putin, who has wielded energy in Russia for many years.
Mr. Trump stated that, after his assembly with Putin, “The next meeting will be with Zelenskyy and Putin” however it may be a gathering with “Putin and Zelenskyy and me.”
European allies have pushed for Ukraine’s involvement, fearful that discussions may in any other case favor Moscow.
To that time, Mr. Trump stated he would name Zelenskyy and European leaders after his dialogue with Putin to “tell them what kind of a deal — I’m not going to make a deal. It’s not up to me to make a deal.”
Mr. Trump spent the early a part of his administration decrying Zelenskyy, even suggesting he was a dictator as a result of his nation has not held elections in the course of the warfare. Zelenskyy was hounded out of the Oval Workplace in February after Mr. Trump and Vice President JD Vance recommended he hadn’t been grateful sufficient for U.S. assist.
Extra lately, Mr. Trump has expressed frustration with Putin that Russia hasn’t appeared to take a push for a ceasefire extra critically, and softened his tone towards Zelenskyy. His feedback Monday recommended he might need had one other change of coronary heart.
“President Putin invited me to get involved,” Mr. Trump stated. He famous that he thought it was “very respectful” that Putin is coming to the U.S. for Friday’s assembly, as a substitute of insisting that Mr. Trump go to Russia.
“I’d like to see a ceasefire. I’d like to see the best deal that can be made for both parties,” Mr. Trump stated.
President Trump speaks with reporters within the James Brady Press Briefing Room on the White Home, Monday, Aug. 11, 2025, in Washington.
Alex Brandon / AP
The president repeated that any main settlement may contain land swaps, with out elaborating. He had threatened Moscow with extra financial sanctions if extra isn’t accomplished to work towards a ceasefire, however recommended Monday that, ought to Friday’s assembly achieve success, he may see a day when the U.S. and Russia normalize commerce relations.
Putin is anticipated to be unwavering in his calls for to maintain all of the territory his forces now occupy and to forestall Ukraine from becoming a member of NATO, with the long-term intention of returning it to Moscow’s sphere of affect.
Zelenskyy insists he won’t ever consent to any formal Russian annexation of Ukrainian territory or quit a bid for NATO membership.
Putin believes he has the benefit on the bottom as Ukrainian forces battle to carry again Russian advances alongside the 600-mile entrance. On the entrance strains, few Ukrainian troopers imagine there’s an finish in sight to the warfare.
With the Europeans and Ukrainians up to now not invited to the summit, Germany sought to organize by inviting Mr. Trump, Zelenskyy, the NATO chief and a number of other different European leaders for a digital assembly on Wednesday.
The German chancellery stated the talks would search further methods to strain Russia and put together for peace negotiations and “related issues of territorial claims and security.”
Steffen Meyer, spokesperson for German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, stated the German authorities “has always emphasized that borders must not be shifted by force” and that Ukraine ought to determine its personal destiny “independently and autonomously.”
Earlier, a Ukrainian drone assault killed one individual and wounded two others in a area some 260 miles east of Moscow.
Russia’s Protection Ministry stated its air defenses intercepted and destroyed a complete of 39 Ukrainian drones in a single day and Monday morning over a number of Russian areas in addition to over the Crimean Peninsula, which Russia annexed in 2014.
