Trump Says Putin Ready for Ukraine Deal; US Aims to Include Zelenskiy
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday he believes Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to make a deal to end the war in Ukraine. His comments came after Putin suggested a possible nuclear arms agreement on the eve of their summit in Alaska.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and European allies have stepped up efforts this week to prevent a U.S.-Russia deal that could leave Ukraine vulnerable to future attacks.
“I think he’s going to make a deal,” Trump told Fox News radio. He added that if Friday’s meeting goes well, he will call Zelenskiy and European leaders afterward. If the talks go badly, he will not.
Trump said the goal of the meeting with Putin is to arrange a second round of talks that includes Ukraine. He cautioned that an immediate ceasefire was unlikely.
Putin Signals Arms Control Talks
Ahead of the summit, Putin met with top ministers and security officials. In televised remarks, he said the U.S. was making “energetic and sincere efforts” to stop hostilities and reach agreements that benefit all sides.
Putin said the aim was to create long-term peace in Europe and globally, which could include deals on controlling strategic offensive weapons. The Kremlin confirmed that nuclear arms control will be on the agenda, along with discussions on boosting U.S.-Russia economic ties.
A senior Eastern European official told Reuters that Putin may try to distract Trump from Ukraine by offering progress on arms control or business deals. “We hope Trump won’t be fooled. Russia’s main goal is to avoid new sanctions and lift existing ones,” the official said.
Summit Seen as ‘Chess Game’
Trump said there will be a press conference after the talks, possibly not joint. He described the negotiations as “a chess game,” with the first meeting setting up the second. He estimated a 25% chance the talks might fail.
Trump emphasized it is up to Putin and Zelenskiy to negotiate the terms, saying: “I’m not going to negotiate their deal.”
Russia controls about 20% of Ukraine, and Kyiv fears any agreement could solidify those territorial gains. European leaders warn it could embolden Putin to expand further into Europe.
Europe’s Concerns and Security Guarantees
An EU diplomat called the situation “scary” and said developments could shift quickly. Trump had positive calls with European leaders and Zelenskiy on Wednesday, expressing willingness to join in security guarantees for Ukraine. However, he made no public mention of this later.
French President Emmanuel Macron said Trump did not want NATO as part of the security guarantees, but was open to including the U.S. and willing allies. A European official described this as “a big step forward,” though details remain unclear.
High Stakes for Ukraine
Friday’s Alaska summit — the first U.S.-Russia meeting since June 2021 — comes at a critical point in the war, which has killed tens of thousands and displaced millions since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Trump has warned of “severe consequences” if Putin refuses to agree to peace, including potential economic sanctions. Russia has signaled its position remains unchanged from the terms outlined by Putin in June 2024.
