President Donald Trump built hopes for a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, where he wanted to “feel” the leader’s willingness to end the Ukrainian war.
Zelenskyy rejects Trump’s Ukrainian land swap proposal
President Zelensky rejects Trump’s proposal to exchange Ukrainian land with Russia ahead of the Alaska peace talks.
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump has again raised the idea of “land exchange” to see Ukraine give up on territory to Russia after the previous proposals were furious from European leaders and rejected by the Ukrainian president.
Trump said he was “a bit troubled” by Ukraine’s Voldimi Zelenkie’s claim over the weekend that Russia would violate his country’s constitution by giving Russia’s territory arrested for an unprovoked invasion.
“He’s approved to join the war and kill everyone, but is there any approval required to make the land exchange? Because the land exchange will take place. Through Russia and through conversations with everyone, Trump told reporters at a press conference on August 11th.
He said some moves are good for Ukraine, but some will be bad.
“You have very uneven lines, so it’s very complicated,” Trump declared. “There are some exchanges. They have some changes in the land, and the word they use is that they make changes. We change the lines, the battle lines.”
Trump made his comments this week when he decided his expectations for a summit with Vladimir Putin. So he said he “feels” the Russian leaders’ willingness to reach an agreement to end the war.
The conflict began in 2022 when Russia invaded Ukraine. Russia currently controls about 20% of Ukraine.
The administration has not shared any additional details regarding the format of Putin and Trump’s summit, beyond the fact that it is a schedule for August 15th, US territory purchased from Russia in 1867.
“It’s a really pleasant meeting, and President Putin invited me,” Trump told reporters.
Trump said he plans to call Zelensky, who is not expected to attend, and calls European leaders shortly after the meeting to share what Putin has provided.
“I’m not going to trade. It’s not up to me to trade,” Trump declared.
Trump says he will push Putin to end the Ukrainian war
The sanctions Trump said he would administer Putin if the deal was not reached by August 8th appeared to be pending as leaders prepare for their in-person meeting. Trump hiked 50% tariffs on the country’s products to buy Russian oil ahead of the sanctions deadline, and set an example from India.
Trump admitted at a press conference that he had been disappointed in Putin in the past, but said he felt an obligation to settle the war.
The president said he thought Putin’s coming to the United States was “respect” rather than holding summits in Russia or other countries. “I think there’s a constructive conversation,” Trump said.
Trump suggested that the simple act of facing President Putin could persuade Russian leaders, and repeated his argument that if he was president when it began, the war would not have started.
“I’m going to talk to Vladimir Putin, and I’m going to tell him, ‘You have to end this war, you have to end it,'” Trump said. “He had no intention of ruining me. This war would never have happened.”
Trump hinted at his previous claim that Ukrane might have prevented him from violating President Putin, saying, “I’ll get along with Zelensky, but I know I don’t agree with what he did.
Trump said Putin and Zelensky would probably want to meet him next. However, he also said that if he believes there is no hope for a reconciliation, he can move away from the war after talking to Putin.
“I’m going to look at the parameters. Now I’m leaving and wishing good luck. That’s going to be the end.
Trump said at the White House event on August 8th, there will be “exchanges of parts of the territory.” “We’re looking at the exchange. We’re going to get some back,” he said.
Zelenskyy said in X’s thread the following day that the war could not be ended without Ukraine’s approval.
