U.S. President Donald Trump said he believes his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, is ready to make a deal, adding that the threat of sanctions against Russia has likely played a role in Moscow’s decision to hold a meeting.
Trump is scheduled to meet Putin in Alaska on Friday. While he expressed uncertainty about the possibility of an immediate ceasefire in the war in Ukraine, he reiterated his willingness to mediate a peace agreement.
“I now believe he is convinced that he will make a deal. I think he will do it, but we will see,” Trump told Fox News Radio.
Earlier in the day, Putin stated that the United States is making “sincere efforts” to end the war in Ukraine and suggested that Moscow and Washington could agree on a nuclear arms deal as part of a broader push to strengthen peace.
During the interview, Trump also revealed he has three potential locations in mind for a follow-up meeting with Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, though he cautioned that such a second meeting is not guaranteed.
“Depending on what happens with my meeting, I’ll call President Zelensky and bring him to wherever we agree to meet,” Trump said.
On August 13, European leaders and Zelensky held a video conference in which they urged Trump to pressure Putin to seek peace in Ukraine. Following that conversation, Trump warned Russia of “very severe consequences” if the war does not end.
The upcoming meeting between Trump and Putin aims to find a path to ending the war in Ukraine, which has been ongoing for over three and a half years. Trump has suggested that both sides will need to exchange territory to halt the intense fighting that has killed tens of thousands on both sides and forced millions of Ukrainians to flee their homes.
Washington appears to be preparing Kyiv and Moscow for significant compromises, with U.S. Vice President JD Vance warning that any peace agreement will likely leave both parties “dissatisfied.”
