Trump warns Russia of ‘very severe consequences' if Putin blocks Ukraine deal
"If the first one goes okay, we'll have a quick second one," Trump told reporters. "I would like to do it almost immediately, and we'll have a quick second meeting between President Putin and President Zelenskyy and myself, if they'd like to have me there."The US president also said the conflict in Ukraine was the result of the Biden administration's policies, saying, "This is Biden's work, this is not my work. He got us into this thing. This war would have never happened if I were the President. But it is what it is. I am here to fix it."He emphasised his record on global conflicts, claiming, "If we can save a lot of lives, it will be a great thing. I have stopped five wars in the last six months. On top of that, we wiped out the nuclear capability of Iran, obliterated it."EU, UKRAINE DRAW RED LINES AHEAD OF ALASKA TALKSThe warning comes after a high-level virtual call between Trump, Zelenskyy, and European leaders, hosted by Germany, to outline non-negotiable positions ahead of the Alaska talks."We had a very good call. He was on the call. President Zelenskyy was on the call. I would rate it a 10, very friendly," Trump said.French President Emmanuel Macron said Trump had agreed that Ukrainian land could not be negotiated away without Kyiv's consent. Macron also noted that Trump backed the idea of security guarantees for Ukraine in any post-war arrangement.German Chancellor Friedrich Merz reiterated that the principle of borders being respected must remain intact. "If there is no movement on the Russian side in Alaska, then the United States and we Europeans should increase the pressure," Merz said, adding that Trump "shares this position very extensively."The Alaska meeting is intended to address the nearly three-and-a-half-year-old war -- the largest conflict in Europe since World War II. Trump has previously suggested that some form of territorial exchange might be necessary to end the fighting, an idea met with deep concern in Kyiv and across Europe.Zelenskyy travelled to Berlin for consultations before the virtual call, warning allies that Putin's recent military gains in eastern Ukraine were part of a broader strategy to pressure Kyiv into concessions.advertisement"I told the US president and all our European colleagues that Putin is bluffing about wanting to end the war," Zelenskyy said. "Russia is trying to show that it can occupy all of Ukraine, but this is an attempt to intimidate before the Alaska talks."Meanwhile, the Kremlin has shown little sign of softening its stance. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Alexei Fadeev reiterated that Moscow's demands remain unchanged since last year.Behind the scenes, officials have been considering potential locations for a three-way summit involving Trump, Putin, and Zelenskyy, should the Alaska meeting yield progress. European governments have welcomed Trump's initiative but remain firm that no agreement should be made without Ukraine's direct participation.- EndsWith inputs from AgenciesTune InMust Watch
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