‘High Stakes!’: US President Trump, ahead of the Alaska Summit

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump shared a message ahead of the much-anticipated face-to-face meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska that could determine not only the trajectory of the war in Ukraine but also the fate of European security.

In a post on Truth Social, US President Donald Trump said, “High Stakes!”

A few hours after this, he departed for Alaska for his meeting with the Russian President. The summit is scheduled for August 15 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska.

Ahead of his meeting with Putin, US President Donald Trump expressed confidence that Putin is now ready to pursue peace. The summit is scheduled for August 15 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska.

“I think President Putin will make peace and President Zelensky will make peace,” Trump told reporters.

Asked if the US is prepared to offer Putin access to rare minerals as an incentivise to end the war, Trump replied, “We’re going to see what happens with our meeting. We have a big meeting. It’s going to be, I think, very important for Russia, and it’s going to be very important for us and important for us only that we’re going to save a lot of lives.”

“But what I’m really doing this for is to save thousands of soldiers a week,” he added.

Looking beyond the Alaska talks, Trump outlined plans for a follow-up meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, possibly joined by European leaders. He called that session potentially more important than the first.

“We have a meeting with President Putin tomorrow. I think it’s gonna be a good meeting, but the more important meeting will be the second meeting that we’re having. We’re gonna have a meeting with President Putin, President Zelenskyy, me, and maybe we’ll bring some of the European leaders along, maybe not,” he said.

The talks will focus on exploring ways to end the Russia-Ukraine war, including ceasefire arrangements, prisoner exchanges, arms-control measures, and possible economic or security guarantees.

Trump has vowed to “end the Ukraine war quickly,” while Putin is seeking recognition of Russia’s territorial gains and relief from Western sanctions. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has refused to surrender territory and hasn’t been invited to the summit.

The summit’s outcome could reshape global energy flows and influence India’s import strategy. If a peace deal is reached, India might benefit from reduced energy prices and eased trade pressure. However, a breakdown in talks could keep commodity markets volatile and US trade pressure intact.

The meeting’s outcome could have significant implications for global markets, with investors awaiting clues about the health of the US economy and potential shifts in US-Russia relations. (ANI)