Trump links future Putin meeting to potential Ukraine peace deal
U.S. President Donald Trump said he would only move forward with a new meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin if there are firm assurances that a peace agreement on Ukraine can be reached, News.Az reports citing the Anadolu.
“I need to know we’re going to make a deal — I’m not going to waste my time,” Trump told reporters while en route to Malaysia for the 47th ASEAN Summit.
He voiced frustration over the stalled negotiations, saying, “I’ve always had a great relationship with Vladimir Putin, but this has been very disappointing.” The U.S. president added that the war has proven more difficult than expected due to the “tremendous hatred” between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Putin.
Plans for a second Trump-Putin summit were paused earlier this week after a phone call between Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Trump had previously announced a meeting in Hungary but canceled it, saying “it didn’t feel right.”
On China:
Trump also said he sees “a very good chance” of reaching a “comprehensive deal” with Chinese President Xi Jinping when they meet in South Korea during the upcoming APEC summit.
“I want our farmers to be taken care of, and he wants things as well,” Trump noted, adding that talks would also address fentanyl trafficking from China.
The U.S. president said he might discuss China’s reduction of Russian oil imports, pointing out that Beijing is “cutting back substantially” and India “completely,” following U.S. sanctions.
“I think we have a really good chance of making a very comprehensive deal,” Trump concluded.
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