Trump says he’ll ‘really feel out’ Putin on ending Ukraine conflict : NPR

President Trump mentioned on Monday that he plans to make use of a Friday summit in Alaska to gauge whether or not Russian President Vladimir Putin is able to finish his conflict on Ukraine — and mentioned he’d been disenchanted previously in Putin’s actions.

“That is actually a feel-out assembly, slightly bit,” Trump advised reporters, predicting he would know “most likely within the first two minutes” whether or not a deal can be attainable.

“I’ll say, ‘A lot of luck, hold combating.’ Or I’ll say, ‘We are able to make a deal,'” Trump mentioned.

Trump has lengthy pledged to make use of his relationship with Putin to dealer an finish to the conflict, now in its fourth 12 months.

However Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European allies are involved that Putin will press to take over massive swaths of Ukrainian sovereign territory. Trump confirmed that he believes there will likely be “some land-swapping” concerned in any potential deal.

“Russia has occupied a giant portion of Ukraine. They’ve occupied some very prime territory. We will try to get a few of that territory again for Ukraine,” Trump mentioned on Monday.

European leaders are calling on Trump to seek the advice of carefully with Zelenskyy forward of the assembly. Trump mentioned he would discuss with the Ukrainian president and European allies each earlier than and instantly after the summit.

“I am speaking to the European leaders. I will be speaking to President Zelenskyy. I’ll get all people’s concepts. I am going into that factor — totally loaded — proper up there — and we will see what occurs,” he mentioned.

The upcoming assembly is the primary time Trump and Putin have met nose to nose since 2019. He mentioned mentioned the following step ought to be for Zelenskyy and Putin to satisfy in particular person. “I will be there in the event that they want, however I need to have a gathering arrange between the 2 leaders.”