Donald Trump has said he believes Vladimir Putin is prepared to reach an agreement to end the war in Ukraine, as the two leaders prepare to meet in Alaska on Friday. His suggestion that Putin and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy could “divvy things up” has raised concerns in Kyiv.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, the US president estimated a 75% chance of success for the Alaska talks, suggesting that economic sanctions may have made the Russian leader more open to negotiations. Posting on Truth Social shortly before leaving the White House on Friday morning, he wrote: “HIGH STAKES!!!”
Trump insisted he would not allow Putin to outmanoeuvre him during the meeting. “I am president, and he’s not going to mess around with me,” he said. “I’ll know within the first two minutes, three minutes, four minutes or five minutes … whether or not we’re going to have a good meeting or a bad meeting. And if it’s a bad meeting, it’ll end very quickly. If it’s a good meeting, we’re going to end up getting peace in the pretty near future.”
The president said a second meeting, possibly involving Zelenskyy, would be more decisive. “The second meeting is going to be very, very important, because that’s going to be a meeting where they make a deal. And I don’t want to use the word ‘divvy’ things up, but you know, to a certain extent, it’s not a bad term,” he told Fox News Radio.
Trump’s comments appeared to refer to potential “land swaps” in which Ukrainian territory, possibly including areas not currently held by Russian forces, would be ceded to Moscow.
Later on Thursday, he suggested a trilateral meeting could take place soon, potentially in Alaska. “Tomorrow, all I want to do is set the table for the next meeting, which should happen shortly,” he said. “I’d like to see it actually happen, maybe in Alaska.”
Such a meeting would represent a concession by Putin, who refuses to recognise Zelenskyy as Ukraine’s legitimate leader.
Trump acknowledged he was uncertain whether an immediate ceasefire could be achieved but maintained that Putin was ready to negotiate. “I believe now, he’s convinced that he’s going to make a deal. I think he’s going to, and we’re going to find out,” he said.
