“If I Don’t Get Answers From Putin…”: Trump Issues Warning Ahead of Ukraine Talks in Alaska
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday issued a strong warning to Russian President Vladimir Putin ahead of the Alaska summit, stating that Moscow would face “very severe” consequences if it fails to provide answers.
Earlier in the day, Trump mentioned that he had a “very good call” with European leaders, including Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
“We had a very good call. He was on the call — President Zelenskyy was on the call. I would rate it a 10. Very, very friendly,” he told reporters during an event at Washington’s Kennedy Center.
The US President also said he plans to hold a “quick second” meeting with Putin and Zelenskyy after the Alaska summit. During the conference call, Zelenskyy and his European allies urged Trump to support Kyiv and push for a ceasefire when he meets Putin.
Concerns have grown due to a heightened Russian offensive and the fact that Zelenskyy has not been invited to the Anchorage meeting on Friday. There are fears that Trump and Putin could reach a deal that forces painful concessions on Ukraine.
Ahead of the meeting, Trump praised European leaders as “great people” before his virtual discussion on the Ukraine war. On his platform Truth Social, he posted: “Will be speaking to European Leaders shortly. They are great people who want to see a deal done.”
According to the German government, the talks are aimed at ensuring that Europe’s and Ukraine’s positions are heard ahead of the August 15 meeting between the US and Russian Presidents in Alaska.
Zelenskyy arrived in Berlin for the virtual summit. While many leaders, including Trump, will participate via video conference, Zelenskyy travelled to the German capital to attend in person and will make a statement alongside German Chancellor Friedrich Merz after the discussions.
Chancellor Merz has organised a series of virtual meetings involving leaders from Finland, France, Britain, Italy, Poland, the European Union, and NATO. The agenda includes Ukraine’s concerns over being excluded from direct participation in the US-Russia talks, as well as efforts to present a united European stance.
The final round of discussions will include members of the “coalition of the willing,” countries prepared to help implement any future peace agreement.
Trump has said he wants to determine whether Russian President Vladimir Putin is “serious” about ending the war, now in its fourth year. Both Ukraine and European leaders remain cautious, fearing that a deal made without their input could grant Putin strategic concessions, potentially encouraging further aggression against other European nations.
