‘If I weren't President…': Donald Trump's big claim on Ukraine ahead of Alaska meet with Vladimir Putin
Trump told reporters at the White House on Thursday that he would know within the first five minutes of the meeting if it would be fruitful.
'We're gonna find out where everybody stands. And I'll know within the first two minutes, three minutes, four minutes or five minutes… whether or not we're going to have a good meeting or a bad. And if it's a bad meeting, it'll end very quickly. And if it's a good meeting, we're going to end up getting peace in the pretty near future,' CNN quoted Trump as saying.
Trump has long claimed that Putin would not have launched his full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 if he had been President, and said Thursday that the war 'should have never happened.'
'If I weren't President, in my opinion, he would much rather take over all of Ukraine. But I am President, and he's not going to mess around with me,' Trump said.
The Alaska Summit between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin
US President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday for a summit aimed at negotiating a resolution to the war in Ukraine.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated that the Russian side hopes to continue the 'useful conversation' during Friday's Russia-US summit in Alaska.
This will mark Putin's first visit to Western soil since he ordered the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, a conflict that has claimed tens of thousands of lives, with Russia showing no signs of slowing its military advances just prior to the summit.
Russia has advanced on the ground ahead of the talks, and Trump has publicly mooted the idea of a territorial swap between the warring sides.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who was not invited to the Alaska summit, has ruled that out.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Indian Express
11 minutes ago
- New Indian Express
US, Russia hail India on Independence Day amid geopolitical shifts
As India celebrated its 78th Independence Day, both the United States and Russia praised the country's growing global influence, highlighting the strategic value of their ties with New Delhi, especially significant amid shifting global dynamics and the backdrop President Donald Trump's tariffs. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in a statement, called the US-India relationship 'consequential and far-reaching,' despite ongoing trade frictions. 'Our nations share a vision for a more peaceful and secure Indo-Pacific. This partnership spans industries, fuels innovation, drives critical technologies, and extends into space,' he said, reiterating Washington's commitment to deepening cooperation with New Delhi to meet modern global challenges. Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin, in his message to President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, described India as a nation with 'well-deserved authority' in world affairs. He highlighted India's active engagement on key global issues and reaffirmed Moscow's intent to further strengthen the 'special privileged strategic partnership' between the two countries. Putin expressed confidence that bilateral cooperation would continue to expand, benefiting both nations and contributing to regional and global stability. The strong messages from Washington and Moscow reflect India's pivotal diplomatic positioning in a multipolar world, one where its influence continues to grow across strategic, technological, and economic domains.
Time of India
11 minutes ago
- Time of India
My Take 5 (Edition 52) The week that was: Azerbaijan and Armenia sign peace deal; Munir uses US trip to brandish Pakistan's nuclear arsenal; and more
Welcome back to another edition of My Take 5, your weekly wrap of top international news. It's been a blockbuster week and here are the stories we are covering this week. Trump and Putin are about to meet in Alaska, Azerbaijan and Armenia sign a peace deal, a concert riot in Poland with possible geopolitical consequences, Munir's nuclear sabre-rattling, and Netanyahu's push to take over Gaza city. So let's get to it: Trump-Putin meet: The biggest global international story is certainly the Alaska summit between Trump and Putin today. Missing at the table will be Zelenskyy and European representation. Trump has described the meeting as a 'feel-out' to see if Putin is serious about a ceasefire in Ukraine. He has also threatened serious consequences if Putin refuses to end the war in Ukraine. But this isn't the first time Trump has signalled tough measures only to not follow through. So, big question marks remain over the outcome of the summit. Read full story here Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email Disclaimer Views expressed above are the author's own.
Time of India
11 minutes ago
- Time of India
Cold War Twist To Trump-Putin Meet? US Hosting Russian Prez at an Anti-Russia Base
/ Aug 15, 2025, 09:18PM IST In a twist that feels straight out of history's playbook, Donald Trump will meet Vladimir Putin at a U.S. military base originally built to track and deter the Soviet Union. Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, a Cold War stronghold in Alaska, once stood as America's shield against Moscow, and now it's hosting Russia's leader. Is this diplomacy at its finest or irony at its sharpest? The high-stakes meeting could shape the future of the Ukraine war.
