Alaska [US], August 16 (ANI): Russian President Vladimir Putin concluded his joint press conference with US President Donald Trump on Friday by inviting Trump for further talks in Moscow.
“Next time in Moscow,” Putin said.
Trump accepted the suggestion, replying, “That’s an interesting one. I’ll get a little heat on that one, but I can see it possibly happening.”
Trump noted that the next step rests with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, adding that a meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin would be arranged soon. “Now it’s really up to President Zelenskyy to get it done,” Trump told local media. “They’re going to set up a meeting now between President Zelenskyy and President Putin and myself, I guess,” he said, as reported by CNN.
He declined to disclose the unresolved issues holding up a deal, saying only that he wants “to see what we can get done.” Despite the absence of a formal agreement, Trump described the summit as a success, rating it “10 out of 10, in the sense that we got along great.”
“I want to make sure it gets done,” he added. “And we have a pretty good chance of getting it done.”
Trump said he and Putin agreed that the Ukraine conflict would end with land swaps and some form of US-backed security guarantee. When asked about potential territorial concessions that would give Russia land it did not previously control, and about possible US security assurances for Ukraine, Trump said those points had been part of the negotiations.
“Well, I think those are points that we negotiated, and those are points that we largely have agreed on,” he said. “Actually, I think we agree on a lot. I can tell you, the meeting was a warm meeting.”
Trump described Putin as a “strong guy” and “tough as hell,” but said the overall discussions were positive. “I think we’re pretty close to the end. And look, Ukraine has to agree to it,” Trump said, according to CNN.
On his advice for Zelenskyy, Trump said simply, “Gotta make a deal.”
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