‘Putin Won’t Mess With Me’: Trump Eyes 'Constructive' Alaska Talks On Ukraine This Week

Last Updated:August 11, 2025, 21:47 IST

Putin and Trump are scheduled to meet in the US state of Alaska this Friday to try to resolve the three-year conflict.

Trump and Putin will hold talks on August 15 to discuss a potential ceasefire in Ukraine. (AP/File)

US President Donald Trump on Monday said he expected a “constructive" discussion with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin as they meet for a high-stakes meeting on Friday (August 15) in Alaska, amid Washington’s efforts to negotiate a ceasefire in the Ukraine conflict, which has entered its fourth year.

“I am going in to speak to Vladimir Putin. I am going the telling him that we got to end this war. He is not going to mess with me. This war would have never happened," he said in a press conference. “This could have been a third World War."

He said the next meeting would be with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders. “After that meeting, immediately, maybe as I’m flying out, maybe as I’m leaving the room, I’ll be calling the European leaders who I get along with very well," Trump further said.

“I have a great relationship, I think, with all of them, and I get along with Zelenskyy, but, you know, I disagree with what he’s done, very, very severely disagree… I’ll be speaking to Zelenskyy. The next meeting will be with Zelenskyy and Putin, or Zelenskyy, and Putin to me I’ll be there if they need me."

Trump ‘Unhappy’ With Zelenskyy

The US President also said he is unhappy with Zelenskyy for ruling out territorial concessions to Russia. “I was a little bothered by the fact that Zelensky was saying, Well, I have to get constitutional approval. I mean, he’s got approval to go into war and kill everybody, but he needs approval to do a land swap? Because there’ll be some land swapping going on," he said, confirming land swap negotiations.

Zelenskyy on Saturday warned that Ukraine won’t surrender land to Russia to buy peace. “Ukrainians will not give their land to the occupier," he said on social media.

However, Trump made it clear that while he wanted a ceasefire, it will be up to Ukraine to accept or reject the deal with Russia. “We’re going to see what the parameters are, and then I’m going to call up President Zelensky and the European leaders … and I’m going to tell them what kind of a deal. I’m not going to make a deal. It’s not up to me to make a deal. I think a deal should be made for both."

Aveek Banerjee

Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international...Read More

Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international...

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First Published:

August 11, 2025, 21:47 IST

News world ‘Putin Won’t Mess With Me’: Trump Eyes 'Constructive' Alaska Talks On Ukraine This Week

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