Trump said aim is to bring Putin to the negotiating table at the Alaska summit, not to strike a deal for Ukraine

US President Donald Trump said on Friday that his main objective at the upcoming summit in Alaska is to bring Russian President Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table — not to strike a deal on behalf of Ukraine.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One while en route to Anchorage, Trump clarified his position. “I’m not here to negotiate for Ukraine. I’m not doing this for my health… I’d like to focus on our country, but I’m doing this to save a lot of lives," he said.

Trump stressed that the priority is to push towards ending the war in Ukraine. While he did not detail any specific proposals, he warned that the consequences for Russia would be “very severe" if Moscow refuses to cooperate.

The US President said he believes the meeting with Putin could produce meaningful outcomes, given the current state of Russia’s economy and the urgency of the war.

“He’s a smart guy, been doing it for a long time but so have I … we get along, there’s a good respect level on both sides, and I think, you know, something’s going to come of it," Trump noted.

He also welcomed the fact that Putin is bringing Russian business leaders to the talks, seeing it as a sign of readiness for engagement, but made it clear that no business deals would be possible until the war is resolved.

“I noticed he’s bringing a lot of business people from Russia, and that’s good. I like that because they want to do business, but they’re not doing business until we get the war solved," he added.

The summit in Alaska marks the first time Putin will set foot on Western soil since launching the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, a conflict that has claimed tens of thousands of lives. In the lead-up to the summit, Russian forces have made notable advances on the battlefield.

Trump invited Putin to the summit after the Russian leader suggested the meeting. However, the US president has since taken a firmer tone, warning that the meeting could end quickly if Putin refuses to compromise.

(With inputs form agencies)

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