US President Donald Trump expressed strong optimism before his Friday summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska. He said he would know within the first two minutes whether both sides could strike a deal.
Speaking at a White House briefing on Monday, Trump responded to a question about restoring normal trade with Russia. “I do. Russia has a very valuable piece of land. If Vladimir Putin went toward business instead of toward war… it’s a warring nation. That’s what they do. They fight a lot of wars,” he said.
He added, “We’re going to have a meeting with Vladimir Putin. And at the end of that meeting, probably in the first two minutes, I’ll know exactly whether or not a deal can be made.” Trump also stated, “I’d like to see a ceasefire. I’d like to see the best deal that could be made for both parties.”
Trump Targets Russia Over Oil Exports to India
Trump linked Russia’s economic troubles to the ongoing conflict and US trade measures. He highlighted the 50 percent tariff imposed on nations buying oil from Russia. “Their economy is not doing well right now because it’s been very well disturbed by this… that was a big blow,” he said.
Furthermore, Trump revealed he had planned tougher actions. However, Putin called him to request a meeting. “I was all set to do things far bigger than that. But I got a call that they’d like to meet, and I’m going to see what they want to meet about,” he explained.
European Leaders Seek Resolution
Trump called the meeting with Putin a “big deal.” He noted, “I’ll be calling the European leaders. They’re tired of it (the Russia-Ukraine war). They want to get back to spending money on their countries… They want it resolved.”
He stressed that many European leaders rely heavily on him. “If it weren’t for me, this thing would never get solved until the last person breathing is dead,” Trump said. “It’s going to be a good meeting, and we’ll go a step further. We’ll get it done. I’d like to see a ceasefire very, very quickly.”
Trump Blames Biden for Ukraine War
Trump also criticized President Joe Biden. “This war wouldn’t have happened if I were president. This is Joe Biden’s war. This is not my war,” he stated. He plans to urge Putin directly to end the war. “So I’m going in to speak to Vladimir Putin. And I’m going to be telling him, you’ve got to end this war. And he wasn’t going to mess with me.”
Plans for Talks With Zelensky
Looking ahead, Trump said he wants to arrange a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Putin. “The next meeting will be with Zelensky and Putin, or Zelensky and Putin and me. I’ll be there if they need me,” he said.
He clarified that his Alaska meeting will help him understand the parameters of a possible peace deal. “If it’s a fair deal, I’ll reveal it to the European Union leaders, NATO leaders, and President Zelensky,” Trump said, adding he would call Zelensky first “out of respect.”