Washington, D.C., August 15: US President Donald Trump, ahead of a high-stakes meeting with Vladimir Putin in Alaska, lauded the Russian leader as a “smart guy” while warning he would face “economically severe” consequences if he refuses to engage in ending the war in Ukraine.
“Look, he’s a smart guy. Been doing it for a long time, but so have I been doing it for a long time, and here we are with president,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One. He said there was “a good respect level on both sides” and expressed optimism that “something’s going to come of it.”
Trump noted that Putin was bringing “a lot of business people from Russia,” which he viewed positively, but stressed that economic engagement would only come after progress on ending the war. “They’re not doing business until we get the worst out,” he said.
The president touted the US economy under his administration, calling it “the hottest country on earth” and contrasting it with Russia and China, which he claimed were struggling. “One year ago we were dead as a doornail, and now we have the hottest country,” Trump said. “He wants a piece of that.”
On Russia’s continued drone strikes in Ukraine, Trump said, “I think they’re trying to negotiate… in his mind that helps him make a better deal. It actually hurts him, but in his mind that helps him make a better deal if they can continue the killing.”
Trump reiterated that he would not negotiate on Ukraine’s behalf, leaving decisions such as possible territorial swaps to Kyiv. He also raised the possibility of U.S. security guarantees for Ukraine “along with Europe and other countries”, but “not in the form of NATO.”
When asked to clarify what “severe consequences” meant if Putin showed no interest in a settlement, Trump responded: “Economically severe. Yes, it will be very severe. I’m not doing this for my health… I’m doing this to save a lot of lives.” (5WH)
