Donald Trump has likened his high-stakes meeting with Vladimir Putin to a “chess game,” cautioning that there’s a 25 percent chance it could end in total failure.
He also revealed there are already plans for a more “important” second meeting – and vowed he won’t make a deal without Volodymyr Zelensky.
Just hours before the critical Alaska summit, the President expressed his belief that Putin might agree to a deal, but emphasized that it wouldn’t happen until Zelensky is present.
Trump told Fox News Radio: “The second meeting is going to be very, very important, because that’s going to be a meeting where they make a deal.
“And I don’t want to use the word ‘divvy’ things up. But you know, to a certain extent, it’s not a bad term, okay?”
He appears to think that the groundwork for some kind of peace agreement could be laid tomorrow, although he doubts that the fighting will cease immediately.
He said: “I don’t know that we’re going to get an immediate ceasefire but I think it’s going to come.
“I’m more interested in an immediate peace deal – getting peace fast.
“Depending on what happens with my meeting, I’m going to be calling President Zelensky and let’s get him over to wherever we’re going to meet.”
When questioned about whether he had invited Zelensky to visit after the talks, Trump stated: “I don’t want to discuss a second meeting with him, nor do I want to suggest that one might occur.
“However, having a successful meeting would certainly be beneficial because I intend to let them negotiate their deal. I am not going to negotiate it for them.”
European leaders have cautioned the US president against reaching an agreement without Ukraine, insisting that Zelensky must be included in any future negotiations.
Putin earlier tried to butter up Trump by hailing his “sincere efforts” to reach peace.
The Russian tyrant had the cheek to suggest Moscow and Washington could strike a nuclear arms deal after meeting with his top cronies – even as he gears up to test his lethal nuclear cruise missile.
Earlier reports had suggested that Trump was planning to put a bombshell offer on the table in the hope Putin would agree to it.
