Trump is threatening Russia with serious consequences on the Ukrainian war
President Donald Trump threatened Russia with serious consequences if President Vladimir Putin refused to end the war after a future meeting.
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump predicted that peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine will not be able to proceed with “the chess game” with Russian President Vladimir Putin, comparing the upcoming High Stakes Alaska Summit to a “25% chance.”
In an August 14 interview with Brian Kilmeade, a conservative talk show host on Fox News Radio, Trump said he hopes that a one-on-one meeting with Putin will lead to the second meeting between Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
“It’s like a game of chess,” Trump said. “This meeting will set up a second meeting, and there is a 25% chance that this meeting will not be a successful meeting.”
Trump suggested that Russia and Ukraine could “split things” including land and boundaries during the second meeting that has not yet been scheduled or agreed upon. Zelensky and Ukraine’s European allies exist firmly in Ukraine, which gives way to important territory seized by Russia in a three-year war with Ukraine.
“The second meeting will be very important because it will be a meeting where they will do business,” Trump said. “And while I don’t want to use the word ‘Divvy’, it’s not a bad term to some extent. But there is a give and take on boundaries, land, etc. ”
Trump meets with Putin to “bilateral lunch,” including potential joint press conference
White House press secretary Caroline Leavitt, who appeared on Fox News’ Fox and Friends on August 14, said Trump’s meeting with Putin would be followed by a “bilateral lunch” between the two leaders and their respective delegations.
Trump suggested that if the meeting is productive, a joint press conference could be held, but he said that if not, it would be a solo press conference.
“I think it’s good to have the joint and then separate it, so that’s what’s going to happen,” Trump told Kilmeade. “Or if the meeting doesn’t work, I’ll have a press conference and go out. I’ll be back in Washington.”
Trump will leave Washington, D.C. early on August 15th and fly across the US continent in Air Force 1 before landing in Anchorage. The meeting is set for the joint base at Elmendorf Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska. Founded for World War II, the base covers 13,000 square acres.
Trump spoke to reporters at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. on August 13, warning that if Putin does not agree to end the Ukrainian War, there will be “very serious consequences.” He had previously threatened to attack Russia with sanctions and tariffs if Putin did not end the battle.
Prior to his meeting with Putin, Trump effectively met Zelensky and leaders of European countries on August 13, urging Trump not to surrender to Putin’s demands during a solo meeting.
Leavitt said during his meeting with Putin he “sit down and see the president” and “want to see what progress can be made to end this brutal war and move the ball forward to restore peace.”
Contributions: Francesca Chambers and Bart Jansen from USA Today
Reach Joey Garrison with X @joeygarrison.
