Trump Optimistic About Peace in Ukraine, Plans Follow-up Meeting with Zelensky After Alaska Talks

Former US President Donald Trump expressed his belief that a peace agreement is possible between Russia and Ukraine. This statement came before his planned meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska this Friday at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. “I think President Putin will make peace and President Zelensky will make peace,” Trump told reporters. When asked about incentives to end the war, Trump said, “We’re going to see what happens with our meeting. We have a big meeting. It’s going to be, I think, very important for Russia, and it’s going to be very important for us and important for us only that we’re going to save a lot of lives.” He added that his primary goal is “to save thousands of soldiers a week.” Following the Alaska summit, Trump is planning a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, potentially with European leaders present. He described this meeting as possibly more important than the initial one. “We have a meeting with President Putin tomorrow. I think it’s gonna be a good meeting, but the more important meeting will be the second meeting that we’re having. We’re gonna have a meeting with President Putin, President Zelenskyy, me, and maybe we’ll bring some of the European leaders along, maybe not,” he said. Trump described the conflict as “Biden’s war.” He said that under his leadership, the war would not have happened, and he wants to stop the killing. Trump also thinks normal trade between the US and Russia is possible. He indicated that he will assess the potential for a deal with Putin within the first two minutes of their meeting.