President Donald Trump has hinted at a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Alaska.
Trump on Thursday expressed his hope that Putin and Zelenskyy could hold a second meeting in Alaska, following his scheduled discussions with Putin on Friday.
“I would say that tomorrow, all I want to do is set the table for the next meeting, which should happen shortly. I’d like to see it actually happen, maybe in Alaska,” Trump said.
Donald Trump Is Optimistic About Vladimir Putin’s Willingness to Make a Deal
One day before the US-Russia talks in Alaska, Trump told Fox News Radio that he believes Putin is ready “to make a deal” to resolve the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Trump suggested that while Putin may have wanted “the whole thing,” he is willing to negotiate because of his personal relationship with the US president.
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“I think he wants to get it done. I really feel he wanted the whole thing. I think if it weren’t me, if it were somebody else, he would not be talking to anybody,” Trump said in an interview with Brian Kilmeade.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy Not Part of First Round of Talks
Trump and Putin will meet on Friday to discuss the more than three-year conflict in Ukraine. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy will not participate in the first round of talks. Trump, however, emphasized that if Putin shows a willingness to end the war, a follow-up meeting including Zelenskyy would be arranged.
“I don’t know that we’re going to get an immediate ceasefire, but I think it’s going to come. See, I’m more interested in an immediate peace deal – getting peace fast. And depending on what happens with my meeting, I’m going to be calling up President Zelenskyy and [saying] let’s get him over to wherever we’re going to meet,” Trump said.
Trump added that the subsequent meeting could take place in Alaska or elsewhere, but also warned that if talks went poorly, he would return home without further engagement.
Donald Trump Says Success Of Talks Hinges On Vladimir Putin’s Commitment
Speaking from Washington, DC, Al Jazeera’s Shihab Rattansi explained that Trump’s measure of success hinges on gauging Putin’s sincerity regarding peace.
“He very much made it clear that what success means in this context is him being convinced that Vladimir Putin is serious about peace, and then arranging a second meeting that would involve the Ukrainians,” Rattansi said.
Also Read: Russia’s Putin Praises Donald Trump’s Peace Efforts, Hints at Nuclear Deal Ahead of Alaska Meet
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
