In an effort to end the war in Ukraine, U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin met in Alaska on Friday. The talks lasted nearly three hours. Although both sides described the meeting as “highly positive,” no agreement was reached immediately. Trump, however, expressed optimism that a settlement could be achieved soon.
In an interview with Fox News, Trump said the failure to reach a deal came down to a single issue on which the two leaders could not find common ground, though he did not disclose what that issue was. “I’d say the meeting was fifty-fifty. I believe President Putin wants to solve the problem,” Trump remarked.
Trump further stated that progress had been made on the issue of prisoner exchanges. “Today they handed me a list of thousands of prisoners of war who will be released,” he said. Despite the uncertainty surrounding a broader agreement, Trump stressed, “They must accept this proposal.”
On the future of the Ukraine war, Trump noted that much now depended on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He emphasized that the next round of talks should involve himself, Zelenskyy, and Putin together.
During the interview, Trump also claimed that Putin told him the war in Ukraine would not have begun if Trump had been president at the time. Trump praised Putin for this remark while blaming former U.S. President Joe Biden for failing to prevent Russia’s invasion.
Source: BBC