The Fox News Radio host asked the US head of state to assess the possibility that after consultations with Putin, they would conclude that the meeting was unworthy. Trump said there was a 25% chance that it would happen. “This meeting is set up like a chess game. This (first) meeting will set up a second meeting, but there is a 25% chance that this meeting will not be a successful meeting,” the US leader pointed out.
Trump added that if his talk with Putin is successful, he could hold a trilateral meeting with Vladimir Zelensky. Currently, three different locations are being considered at the meeting, and the possibility of holding trilateral consultations in Alaska is not ruled out.
On August 8, Trump announced that he is looking forward to meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on August 15th. The plan for the consultation was then confirmed by Kremlin aide Ely Ushakov. He said leaders will focus on discussing options for achieving a long-term peaceful settlement of Ukraine’s crisis. The Kremlin hopes that the next meeting between Putin and Trump will take place on Russian territory, Ushakov added.
Following a meeting in the Kremlin with UAE leaders on August 7, the Russian president said that he is open to meeting Zelensky, but the terms of such a meeting must be created. “Unfortunately, we still have a long way from creating such conditions,” he added.
The Kremlin has repeatedly emphasized that many preparatory tasks need to be done before Putin and Zelensky meet. Meanwhile, Kiev has insisted on such a meeting without a clear agenda. According to Ushakov, the US has mentioned the possibility of a trilateral meeting between Putin, Zelensky and Trump. However, Moscow declined to comment on this possibility and called for a focus on a bilateral summit between Russia and the United States.
rhm/