Trump signals high stakes ahead of Putin summit in Alaska: “I won’t be happy if…”
Trump and Putin meet in Alaska as U.S. president demands a ceasefire in Ukraine. (REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque)
As anticipation builds around his first face-to-face meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, U.S. President Donald Trump has made it clear that his expectations hinge on securing an immediate ceasefire in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Speaking to Fox News while en route aboard Air Force One to Anchorage, Alaska, Trump underscored that while he avoids setting lofty expectations, he would be dissatisfied if the talks did not yield some form of ceasefire. He hinted that the summit could either open the door to further negotiations or shut it permanently.
“This is about setting the groundwork,” Trump remarked, noting that any potential follow-up meeting would likely involve both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the same table. “It’s not my role to finalize a peace deal for Ukraine, but I can facilitate the process.”
“I won’t be happy if I walk away without some form of a ceasefire. Now, I – I say this, and I said it from the beginning: This is really setting the table today. We’re going to have another meeting, if things work out, which will be very soon, or we’re not going to have any more meetings at all, maybe ever.”
The Anchorage meeting, hosted at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, represents a pivotal first step for the Trump administration’s direct engagement with Moscow. Observers view the encounter as a litmus test of whether dialogue can move the stalemate toward resolution—or reaffirm entrenched divisions.
Trump also struck an unusual note of agreement with former political rival Hillary Clinton, after she suggested he could be a candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize if he succeeds in advancing genuine peace without conceding ground to Russia. “That was very nice,” Trump quipped. “Maybe I’ll start liking her again.”
Clinton, however, laid out what she considers non-negotiable terms for progress: a verified ceasefire, no territorial concessions to Russia, and a gradual withdrawal of Russian forces to demonstrate commitment to stability in Europe.
As the summit unfolds, global attention remains fixed on whether Trump’s bold demands will lead to breakthrough diplomacy or deepen the uncertainty surrounding the war’s future.
