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President Donald Trump doubled his threat that the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, could face “very severe” economic consequences if he blocks the Ukraine peace process. He reiterated the warning while talking to journalists aboard Air Force One on his way to Alaska for a high -risk talk with Putin.
The meeting in Alaska marks the first summit of the United States in Russia since 2021, and is expected to concentrate on ending the Moscow War in Ukraine.
Trump has been pressing to end the Ukraine War since he assumed the position. Despite a difficult relationship with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, including an acalored exchange in the Oval office in February, Trump has adopted a difficult approach to Russia. However, sometimes he has doubted whether Zelenskyy or Putin were prepared to ensure a high fire agreement.
Putin seemed optimistic about the process earlier this week, even praising Trump for “making, in my opinion, quite energetic and sincere efforts to stop hostilities, stop the crisis and reach interest agreements for all parties involved in this conflict,” according to Reuters. It is not clear how the Russian leader will respond when he is face to face with Trump in Alaska.
The summit is also high at Trump, whose legacy could depend on its ability to bring peace to a region that has been full of war for more than three years.
Even Trump's current and previous rivals seem to recognize bets. Hillary Clinton, who lost to Trump in 2016, said Raging Modrates in Podcast that would name the President for a Nobel Peace Prize if he were the “architect” of an agreement that would end the war.
One of the greatest obstacles to peace has been the possibility of territory exchanges: a proposal that Trump supports and Zelenskyy firmly opposes. There are concerns that these exchanges would deliver to Russia some of the most strategic and rich regions in Ukraine resources.
When addressing the problem, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that “it would take some time” to solve the details of the possible exchanges of territory.
“I think that the president's hope is to achieve some struggle for the fight so that these conversations can happen. These are very technical things that have been exercising for some time,” Rubio told journalists on Thursday.
“We want there to be a peace. We are going to do everything possible to achieve one, but ultimately will depend on Ukraine and Russia according to one,” he added.
On Thursday, Putin hinted that Russia could be open to a nuclear weapons agreement with the United States, although it is not clear if that will be on the agenda for Friday.
The current treaty between the two nations on measures for the additional reduction and limitation of strategic offensive arms, also known as the new starting treaty (strategic weapons reduction treaty), will expire in February.
