Trump Speaks Ahead of High-Stakes Summit With Putin
President Donald Trump reiterated his threat to Russian President Vladimir Putin of “very severe” economic consequences if he stops the Ukraine peace process. He reinforced the warning to reporters aboard Air Force One while on his way to Alaska for a high-stakes meeting with Putin.
The summit in Alaska is the first between the United States and Russia since 2021, and it is anticipated to focus on ending Moscow’s war against Ukraine. Furthermore, Putin implied that Russia would be willing to conclude a nuclear armaments deal with the United States, though it is unclear whether it will be on the agenda for Friday.
“We get along. There’s a good respect level on both sides, and I think, you know, something’s going to come of it. I noticed he’s bringing a lot of business people from Russia. And that’s good. I like that. Cause they wanna do business, but they’re not doing business until we get the war settled,” Trump said.
“The war has got to stop and the killing’s got to stop,” Trump added.
A reporter then asked, “What about the possibility that possibility the United States providing security guarantees to Ukraine, maybe along with Europe and other guy, not in the form of NATO, because that’s stuck in there are certain things that aren’t going to happen?”
Trump replied, “But yeah, along with Europe, there’s a possibility increasing a number of business people that president he’s bringing along is that’s something that you want to discuss with president important at this meeting. If we, if we make progress, I, would discuss it because that’s what are the things that they would like to get abusive? What I built in jobs of the economy, just say:, you know we were a dead country with the are gotta. He wouldn’t be interested. He wouldn’t have been interested a year ago with the Biden economy, but he is interested in a tropicana because we’re doing when you see what those factories start opening up. We have hundreds of factories all over the country, and that includes auto factories, a factories in every other they’re all coming, because they want to beat the towers because of the open air.”
Another reporter asked, “On the table for discussions today, Mr. President, are the territorial swaps on the table? Will you be discussing that?”
Trump responded, “They’ll be discussed, but I’ve gotta let Ukraine make that decision. And I think they’ll make a proper decision. But I’m not here to negotiate for Ukraine. I’m here to get them at a table. And I think you have two sides — look, Vladimir Putin wanted to take all of Ukraine. If I wasn’t president, he would right now be taking all of Ukraine. But he’s not going to do it.”
Trump said Russia will face economic consequences if Putin is not interested in a deal.
“Economically severe. Yes. It will be very severe. I’m not doing this for my health, okay? I don’t need it. I’d like to focus on our country, but I’m doing this to save a lot of lives,” Trump said.
WATCH:
.@POTUS on the possibility of territorial swaps: "They'll be discussed, but I've got to let Ukraine make that decision … I'm not here to negotiate for Ukraine. I'm here to get them at a table." pic.twitter.com/IQJGr1Wyi1
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) August 15, 2025
Russian President Vladimir Putin lauded the Trump administration’s “energetic” efforts to end the conflict in Ukraine. He hinted that Moscow and Washington could reach an agreement on nuclear arms limitation during their summit.
Putin hosted a meeting of senior Russian officials at the Kremlin on Thursday to advise them on the status of negotiations with the US on Ukraine.
“The current American administration… is making, in my opinion, quite energetic and sincere efforts to stop the hostilities, stop the crisis and reach agreements that are of interest to all parties involved in this conflict,” Putin said, as noted by CNN.
In his brief remarks, Putin said the summit with the US aims to “create long-term conditions for peace between our countries, as well as in Europe, and in the world as a whole.”
