The United States, together with Europe and other countries, may provide Ukraine with security guarantees, but not in the NATO format, US President Donald Trump said while speaking to reporters on board a plane shortly after leaving Washington for Alaska, where he will meet Russian leader Vladimir Putin on 15 August.
“Probably together with Europe and other countries. Not in the form of NATO, because that’s not going to happen, there are certain things that are not going to happen. But yes, together with Europe, there is such a possibility,” Trump said, without giving details.
He also expressed hope for a positive outcome to the talks.
“Look, he’s a smart guy. [Wynn] has been doing this for a long time, but so have I,” Trump said. – We’re getting along. There’s a good level of respect on both sides. And I think, you know, you know, something will come out of this summit.”
Asked about the possibility of a “land swap” as part of an agreement to end the war in Ukraine, Trump said, “they will be discussed, but I have to let Ukraine make that decision… I’m not here to negotiate for Ukraine. I’m here to bring them to the negotiating table.”
Asked about overnight Russian attacks on Ukraine, Trump criticised Putin.
He’s trying to prepare the ground. I mean, he thinks it helps him get a better deal. It does hurt him, but he thinks it helps him get a better deal if they can keep killing,” he said. – ‘Maybe it’s just the way he is, his genes, his genetics, but he thinks it … gives him bargaining power. I think it hurts him, but I’ll talk to him about it.
Although Trump and Putin have spoken by phone at least five times since January, the 15 August meeting, to be held at an airbase near Anchorage, will be their first face-to-face meeting in Trump’s second term and the first meeting between a Russian leader and a sitting US president since 2021. The summit is expected to start at 11:00 local time (22:00 Kiev time) and is scheduled to take place at the Elmendorf-Richardson military base.
On the eve of the US President Donald Trump said that the purpose of the summit in Alaska on 15 August is to prepare a second possible meeting, which, as the US President admits, could also be held in Alaska “very soon”. We are talking about a meeting involving both Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin. It would, according to Trump, be more important than his summit with Putin.
Trump suggested that there is a 25 per cent chance that his meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Alaska will not be successful.
Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the day before that it would be a mistake to try to look ahead and predict the results of the meeting. According to him, there are no plans to sign any documents based on the results of the US-Russian summit in Alaska.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is not taking part in the meeting of the US and Russian presidents in Alaska. Earlier, Zelensky said that Ukraine was not going to “give its land to anyone” and that the AFU itself would not leave Donbass.
Kiev insists on firm security guarantees in case of any agreements with Russia.