Alaska Summit Has 25% Chance of Failure, Trump Says

U.S. President Donald Trump said he believes his upcoming meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska has a one-in-four chance of failing.

The Gaze reports this, referring to CNN.

Speaking to CNN ahead of the August 15 summit, Trump described the encounter as laying the groundwork for a second meeting, where he expects a potential agreement to end the war in Ukraine could be reached. 

He suggested such a deal might involve “concessions” on borders and territories, likening the diplomatic process to “a game of chess.”

“There is a 25% chance that this meeting will not be a successful meeting,” Trump said. “But this meeting sets up the second meeting. The second meeting is going to be very, very important, because that’s going to be a meeting where they make a deal.” 

Trump also voiced readiness to impose further sanctions on Russia if the talks fail to produce results. He hinted that both economic incentives and deterrents could play a role in negotiations but declined to reveal specific proposals.

The U.S. leader said he believes Putin is traveling to Alaska with the intention of striking a deal, adding that if the meeting goes well, he will immediately call Zelenskyy and European leaders to coordinate next steps. 

Trump has proposed three potential venues for a trilateral summit with Zelenskyy, including the option of remaining in Alaska.

Asked whether U.S. sanctions policy influenced Putin’s decision to attend, Trump pointed to secondary tariffs on India that, he said, “effectively removed” the country from purchasing Russian oil. 

“When you lose your second-biggest customer and are probably about to lose your biggest, that likely plays a role,” he noted.

As The Gaze reported earlier, President Donald Trump informed European and Ukrainian leaders of the US’s readiness to provide Ukraine with security guarantees under certain conditions, albeit under certain conditions.