Trump Says Putin ready to strike deal ending Ukraine war
U.S President Donald Trump has said he believes Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to strike a deal to end the war in Ukraine, raising both hopes and concerns ahead of their high-stakes summit in Anchorage, Alaska, on Friday.
Speaking in a media interview on Thursday, Trump expressed optimism about Putin’s intentions, noting that a successful meeting could pave the way for a second round of talks involving Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
“I think he’s going to make a deal,” Trump said, while cautioning that an immediate ceasefire was unlikely.
Putin, in televised remarks, commended what he described as Washington’s “energetic and sincere” efforts to halt hostilities and suggested that nuclear arms control could feature prominently in discussions.
The Kremlin has also indicated that the talks will explore potential economic cooperation between the two nations.
European leaders and Kyiv, however, remain wary that any U.S.–Russia arrangement could cement Russia’s control over occupied Ukrainian territories and embolden further aggression. Zelenskiy and his allies have been working intensively to ensure Ukraine’s security interests are safeguarded.
The Alaska meeting, the first Russia–U.S. summit since 2021, comes as the war, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, continues to claim lives and displace millions.
Ahead of the talks, Trump has warned of “severe consequences” for Moscow if peace is not achieved, while leaving open the possibility of security guarantees for Ukraine outside the NATO framework.
