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Time of India
21 minutes ago
- Time of India
Putin's 3 Big Demands For Trump Before Alaska Summit; 'No Compromise, No Bargain...'
Russia has reaffirmed its hardline conditions for ending the war in Ukraine, just days before a high-stakes summit between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump in Alaska. Moscow insists Ukraine must withdraw its forces from contested regions, abandon its NATO ambitions, and recognise Russian control over Crimea, Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson. These terms, first outlined by Putin in 2024, also demand guarantees for Russian-speaking citizens and legally binding international agreements. Ukraine has rejected the demands as an 'absurd ultimatum,' vowing never to recognise Russian occupation. President Volodymyr Zelensky says a ceasefire must precede any territorial discussions and refuses to abandon defensive lines in the Donbas. The Alaska summit will be the first US–Russia leaders' meeting since 2021, with Trump suggesting that both sides may need to swap land to reach peace. However, both Moscow and Kyiv remain far apart, raising doubts over any immediate breakthrough.#Russia #Ukraine #Putin #Trump #AlaskaSummit #UkraineWar #PeaceTalks #Geopolitics #Zelensky #BreakingNews
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First Post
21 minutes ago
- First Post
5 reasons not to read much in Trump's ‘very severe consequences' warning for Putin
While US President Donald Trump warns his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, of severe consequences, here are five reasons why the threat holds no substance ahead of the Alaska talks While speaking to the reporters on Wednesday, US President Donald Trump warned that his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, would face ' very severe consequences' if he did not agree to a ceasefire in the Ukraine war at the Alaska Summit on Friday. Trump's remarks on the matter came after he held talks with the Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, along with other European leaders. While Trump's latest warning against Putin drew significant attention ahead of the Alaska summit, many wonder if the threat holds any substance. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD While speaking to the reporters on Wednesday, Trump also suggested that if his meeting with Putin goes well, he will organise a second summit, which would include Zelenskyy as well. 'If the first one goes OK, we'll have a quick second one,' Trump told reporters in Washington. 'I would like to do it almost immediately, and we'll have a quick second meeting between President Putin, President Zelenskyy and me, if they'd like to have me there.' Trump will be meeting Putin in Anchorage, Alaska, on Friday. The summit will reportedly be held at the Joint Base Elmendorf–Richardson, a military facility crucial to countering the Soviet Union during the height of the Cold War. Here are 5 reasons why Trump's threat might fizzle out. 'Feel-out' session Ahead of the talks in Alaska, Trump's White House has already lowered expectations for any breakthrough from the meeting. In the run-up to the meeting, the Trump administration often used terms like 'listening session' and ' feel-out meeting' to describe the planned discussion about the war in Ukraine. Even Trump himself has indicated that the Friday summit in Alaska is not meant to be one that ultimately brings an end to the Ukraine war, which has been raging on for three years. 'There's a very good chance that we're going to have a second meeting that will be more productive than the first,' Trump said Wednesday. 'Because the first is I'm going to find out where we are and what we're doing.' Meanwhile, the White House has also steered clear of making any firm commitments about what will come out of Friday's gathering in Anchorage. 'This is a listening exercise for this president,' Leavitt told reporters on Tuesday. 'Look, only one party that's involved in this war is going to be present. And so this is for the president to go and to get, again, a firmer and better understanding of how we can hopefully bring this war to an end.' Hence, Russia poses no immediate threat to the Trump administration after the Friday meeting. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD TACO? There has been a peculiar term going around on social media describing Trump's frequently shifting stance. The term is called ' TACO', and it is not about the famous Mexican food. The full form of the term is 'Trump Always Chickens Out'. Before the Alaska meeting was announced, on July 28, Trump set a new deadline of '10 or 12 days' for Russia to reach a peace deal in its war on Ukraine. The American leader warned that if Russia failed to do so, it would face tough new sanctions and tariffs. Interestingly, Trump's warning came as he shortened a 50-day deadline he had set this month. However, the deadline is long gone, and the US did nothing to Russia. Instead, the Trump administration unleashed wrath on India by imposing nearly 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods. Trump went on to threaten secondary sanctions on India for purchasing Russian oil. While speaking to _Firstpost_ earlier this week, Trump's former National Security Adviser John Bolton called out the president's duplicity of standards. 'Another 25 per cent imposed on Indian exports to the US because of the purchase of Russian oil and gas. Yet at the same time, within days, Trump was agreeing to a summit meeting with Putin in Alaska this coming Friday and not proceeding with his threat to impose tariffs on Russia or put further sanctions on Russia,' Bolton told Firstpost on Tuesday. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'During all this time, no sanctions were imposed on China for its even larger purchases of Russian oil and gas. So I think it's just typical of the confusion in the way Trump does business. But it's going to cause, I think, severe difficulties between the US and India at a time when we should be doing exactly the opposite,' he said. The former US ambassador to the UN pointed out how Russia was not harmed by any of Trump's initiatives. When asked about Trump's reluctance to hold trade talks with India until it stops purchasing oil from Russia, Bolton emphasised that the whole thing is 'self-defeating'. He said, 'It is indicative of Trump's inability to prioritise among competing objectives.' 'He hoped that this [secondary sanctions] would affect the negotiations that will take place in Alaska this Friday. But the fact is, it hasn't hurt Russia at all. India still buys oil from Russia. So tariffs hurt India, but don't hurt Russia.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'The secondary tariff is not as effective as dealing with Russia directly, but I'm not sure anybody in the White House has explained that to Trump,' he added. Already pushing for a second summit Even before the Alaska summit, Trump is already preparing for a second summit. Part of the reason the Potus is pushing for a second summit is that this one won't involve Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Ukraine and several European leaders have already made it clear that a peace deal cannot be signed without Ukraine's say in it. Earlier this month, there were reports that the Trump administration was pushing for Zelesnkyy's inclusion in the Alaska meeting. However, the Kremlin insisted that the meeting should be kept bilateral. Putin said that he was not ready to meet his Ukrainian counterpart even as the Kremlin claimed preparations were underway for a set-piece bilateral summit with Donald Trump next week. 'I have nothing against it in general; it is possible, but certain conditions must be created for this,' the Russian leader averred when asked about the meeting with Zelenskyy. 'But unfortunately, we are still far from creating such conditions," he added. Trump ultimately bowed down to Putin's wishes and said that he is willing to talk to him at first without Zelenskyy. While speaking to the reporters in the Oval Office on the same day of the Kremlin's request, Trump said Putin did not have to meet with Zelenskyy first before the US and Russian presidents could meet. 'No, he doesn't,' Trump said. 'They would like to meet with me, and I'll do whatever I can to stop the killing.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD It might come as reassurance to Zelenskyy and European leaders Trump's warning against Putin came after his phone call with Zelenskyy and European leaders. In the impromptu call, US Vice President JD Vance was also in attendance. Trump said that he had a 'very good call' with European leaders in which he consulted them about the general goal and strategy for his summit. He told reporters that he gave reassurances to the European leader that a ceasefire was his priority and he would not make any territorial concessions without Kyiv's full involvement. Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron said that Trump's approach at the video conference appeared to reassure some of the leaders, who were making a final collective plea to the unpredictable US president that he had a duty to protect Ukraine's sovereignty – and European security – at the talks. Hence, Trump's remarks after the call can be seen as just his way to assure Zelenskyy and European leaders without any anger directed towards Putin. Putin has his cards to play While we contemplate Trump's strategies for the Alaska meeting, the key piece of the puzzle is what Russian President Vladimir Putin brings to the table. 'Well, for most of the first six months, what Trump was trying to do was use what he thought was his friendship with Vladimir Putin to negotiate a ceasefire in Ukraine. Now I'll just tell you from my own experience,' Ambassador Bolton told Firstpost. 'Putin doesn't see Trump as his friend. He sees them as somebody that he thinks he can manipulate in true, true fashion of a former KGB agent. And I think he's been pretty successful with it. But at some point toward the end of the first six months, whether intentionally or unintentionally, I think Putin pushed Trump a little too far, and Trump concluded that Putin wasn't interested in a ceasefire.' 'That's what angered him. He threatened tariffs on Russian exports to the US and secondary sanctions or tariffs on countries that were buying Russian oil and gas. So all of these issues with the secondary sanctions have arisen within the past 30 or 45 days,' he explained. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Bolton emphasised that the Russian president had already won with the meeting in Alaska. 'Well, I think Putin has seen the playbook, so it wouldn't surprise me if he came with a big plaque that said 'Here's my letter of nomination [Nobel Peace Prize] for you.' I think what Putin really wants to do is use his KGB training and try to get Trump back under his influence,' Bolton said. 'I do think he recognises he pushed Trump too far. Maybe he did it intentionally, maybe unintentionally. I don't know. It is a big win for Putin to come to the United States. He's a pariah leader of a rogue state that committed unprovoked aggression against Ukraine.' 'On Friday, he's going to get to stand next to the President of the United States and get his picture taken on territory that used to be Russian. Nobody in Russia has missed the fact that we bought Alaska from Russia in 1867. So it's what Trump can do. I think a lot of people are going to be watching. But the main thing is to see if Putin emerges with Trump thinking that they're friends again,' Ambassador Bolton concluded. Hence, all five reasons point to the fact that Trump's latest threat against Putin might not be of much substance. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
News18
30 minutes ago
- News18
Trump's Putin Dilemma: Frustration, Hope For A Deal, And A Stark Intel Warning
As Trump prepares for his first meeting with Putin in six years, the White House hopes for a Ukraine breakthrough even as US intel warns the Kremlin's aims remain unchanged As the war in Ukraine enters its fourth year, US President Donald Trump heads into his first meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in six years, facing a stark divide in assessments. Inside the White House, there is hope that Putin may have changed enough to make a peace deal possible. But the US intelligence community remains convinced that the Kremlin's war aims are largely the same, and warns that any deal on Putin's terms could lock in Russian gains and set the stage for renewed aggression. According to a CNN report citing US and European officials, Trump's questions to aides and allied leaders in recent months — 'What's changed about Putin?" — reflect both his growing frustration with Moscow and a belief that the upcoming Alaska summit could produce an opening. Trump has often highlighted his 'very good relationship" with Putin during his first term. But in recent months, his private language about the Russian leader has shifted sharply. People familiar with internal discussions told CNN that Trump has grown impatient with Moscow's rejection of ceasefire proposals and with what his envoy, Steve Witkoff, described as the Kremlin 'tapping us along." CNN, 'His anger was palpable." White House Hopes Vs Intelligence Warnings Inside the administration, there are some signs of optimism. Sources told CNN that White House officials believe Putin's short-term objectives may have shifted. For instance, a willingness to consolidate current territorial gains and prioritise economic deals. This underpins Trump's hope that the Alaska summit could lead to progress. But US intelligence agencies, CNN reported, see the situation very differently. They assess that Putin: One person familiar with recent assessments told CNN: 'Putin thinks he is winning, so he has no reason to bend. He might as well pocket the wins he has now… and then make another run to take more later." Fears Of A 'Submission' Deal The planned summit, on American soil and without Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy present, has prompted concern among some European and Ukrainian officials. A European diplomat told CNN: 'Russia is offering to stop the war if they get everything they have always wanted, including their most maximalist demands… that would not be a deal, it would be a submission." Others, however, believe Trump's personal style and recent policy shifts might position him to achieve what other leaders have not. On Wednesday, Trump warned that Russia would face 'very severe consequences" if he concluded that Putin was not serious about ending the war, though he did not specify what those would be. Putin: A 'Hard Target' For US Intelligence Decoding Putin's intentions has long been a challenge. A former KGB officer with a small circle of trusted advisers, the Russian leader is considered by US agencies to be a 'hard target", difficult to penetrate through traditional intelligence gathering. CNN noted that while the US has at times gained advance insight into Putin's plans, such as the decision to invade Ukraine in 2022, his daily decision-making remains opaque. During the pandemic, Putin's prolonged isolation further narrowed his contacts, with hardliners gaining influence as technocrats lost access. Trump's Confidence In A Quick Read Despite his past scepticism of the US intelligence community's assessments on Russia, Trump is entering the Alaska summit convinced that his personal rapport and instincts can deliver results. He believes he will know 'probably in the first two minutes" whether Putin is open to a deal, describing the meeting as a 'feel-out" session rather than a formal negotiation. European officials told CNN this self-assured approach reflects not only Trump's long-held belief in personal diplomacy but also a noticeable shift in his outlook since returning to the White House. 'Europeans say the one who changed is Trump… now Europeans say he finally gets it that Putin is a murderous leader," one US official said. This change, they suggest, stems from months of frustration over stalled talks and Russia's battlefield escalation, yet it hasn't dampened his belief that a personal read on Putin could unlock progress. The Pandemic And Putin's Behaviour According to CNN, some of Trump's advisers have suggested that Putin's behaviour since their last meeting in 2019 may have been shaped by the pandemic, when he rarely left his residence outside Moscow and required visitors to undergo lengthy quarantines. US intelligence reports from early 2022 described his behaviour then as 'highly concerning and unpredictable." Ukrainian assessments have sometimes gone further, with Lt. Gen. Kyrylo Budanov, the country's military intelligence chief, claiming Putin uses body doubles and questioning whether the 'real Putin" is still alive, assertions not shared by US and European intelligence. Determined To Win Officials told CNN they believe Putin's determination to control Ukraine has only intensified. Angela Stent, a former US national intelligence officer for Russia, said: 'By now he believes that if Russia doesn't win this war, he won't be in office anymore… I think the fundamental beliefs probably haven't changed." Zelenskyy this week warned that Putin would try to deceive Trump, saying his intelligence services report that Moscow is 'definitely not preparing for a ceasefire or an end to the war." While Trump has reassured European leaders that Ukrainian territory is not for him to negotiate, his administration's focus on territorial exchange suggests some may underestimate the ideological nature of Putin's ambitions. Former US ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul told CNN: 'He is not a transactional leader… a person with that mindset is hard to negotiate with." top videos View all Bottom Line Trump approaches the Alaska summit frustrated with Putin, yet hopeful for a breakthrough. US intelligence agencies, however, see little sign the Kremlin's long-standing objectives have shifted, and warn that any premature deal could end up serving Moscow's interests more than Washington's or Kyiv's. About the Author Karishma Jain Karishma Jain, Chief Sub Editor at writes and edits opinion pieces on a variety of subjects, including Indian politics and policy, culture and the arts, technology and social change. Follow her @ More Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from geopolitics to diplomacy and global trends. Stay informed with the latest world news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : Donald Trump - Vladimir Putin russia-ukraine conflict view comments Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: August 14, 2025, 12:46 IST News world Trump's Putin Dilemma: Frustration, Hope For A Deal, And A Stark Intel Warning Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
