WASHINGTON / MOSCOW / KYIV – U.S. President Donald Trump expressed optimism on Thursday that Russian President Vladimir Putin is prepared to end the war in Ukraine, just one day before the two leaders meet in Alaska for high-stakes talks.
Trump, speaking at the White House, said a lasting peace deal would likely require a follow-up meeting that would also include Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky — and potentially some European leaders.
“I think President Putin will make peace, I think President Zelensky will make peace,” Trump told reporters. “We’ll see if they get along.”
While downplaying the chances of an immediate ceasefire at Friday’s summit, Trump suggested the Alaska meeting could pave the way for more significant discussions later. He described the process as “like a chess game,” estimating a 25% chance the initial meeting might not succeed.
Putin Signals Interest in Broader Security Talks
In Moscow, Putin said the United States was making “energetic and sincere efforts” to halt the fighting and work toward agreements acceptable to all sides. He indicated that nuclear arms control could be a key topic in Alaska, alongside discussions on Europe-wide security and U.S.-Russia economic cooperation.
A Kremlin aide said the meeting could explore “the huge untapped potential” for bilateral trade. However, European officials warned that Moscow might attempt to divert attention from Ukraine by offering progress on unrelated issues.
Concerns in Kyiv and Europe
Ukraine and its European allies have been lobbying to prevent any agreement between Washington and Moscow that might solidify Russia’s control over roughly 20% of Ukrainian territory. They fear such a deal could reward years of Russian aggression and encourage further expansion into Europe.
French President Emmanuel Macron, following a recent call with Trump, said the U.S. leader had signaled willingness to support security guarantees for Ukraine — though Trump insisted NATO should not be directly involved in those arrangements.
Trump has also threatened “severe consequences,” including economic sanctions, if Putin refuses to agree to peace.
A Critical Moment
Friday’s summit will be the first face-to-face meeting between U.S. and Russian leaders since June 2021 and comes at a time when Ukraine faces one of its toughest phases in the conflict, which has killed tens of thousands and displaced millions since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Russia, meanwhile, has said its position remains unchanged from proposals outlined by Putin in June 2024.
