Talks between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin have ended after more than two and a half hours. The leaders met in a three-on-three meeting along with top advisers for a high-stakes summit in Alaska that could determine the trajectory of the war in Ukraine and the fate of European security.
Trump’s allies have cast the U.S. president as a heavyweight negotiator who can find a way to bring the slaughter to a close, something he used to boast he could do quickly. Trump has threatened “very severe consequences” if Putin does not agree to stop the war after the summit.
For Putin, a summit with Trump offers a long-sought opportunity to try to negotiate a deal that would cement Russia’s territorial gains, block Kyiv’s bid to join the NATO military alliance and eventually pull Ukraine back into Moscow’s orbit.
There are significant risks for Trump: By bringing Putin onto U.S. soil, the president is giving Russia’s leader the validation he desires after his ostracization following his invasion of Ukraine 3 1/2 years ago. Any success is far from assured, especially as Russia and Ukraine remain far apart in their demands for peace.
In the joint address to media at the summit, President Trump indicates President Putin has invited him to Moscow for further talks on the Russia-Ukraine war.
(Copyright, All Rights Reserved, WBAP/KLIF)
