During a press conference at the Kennedy Center, Donald Trump stated that there will be "very serious consequences" for Russia if Vladimir Putin does not agree to stop the Ukrainian conflict after the meeting on August 15. He did not specify what exactly these consequences would be, but emphasized that if he "does not get the necessary answers" during the meeting with Putin, there will be no next meeting.
The head of the White House noted that the meeting is needed to understand "where we are" and "what we are doing." According to Trump, he would like the meeting of the presidents of Russia and Ukraine to take place "almost immediately" after the summit in Alaska, and there is a good chance for this.
He also called his consultations with European leaders and Volodymyr Zelensky "very good."
Earlier, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in an interview with Sid Rosenberg reported that for Trump, the meeting is not a concession to Putin, but an opportunity to understand and make a decision. "At this meeting, we will very quickly find out whether this matter has a chance of success or not.
Rubio called Trump an "extraordinary dealmaker," reminding how "he very successfully concludes trade deals when he comes and closes them, and always personally."
However, Rubio acknowledged that achieving a peace agreement will not be easy, as the war means a lot to Putin: in the last month, the Russians have lost 60,000 people killed. "This shows that these guys are ready to give, how important this war is, and of course, the war is very important for Ukraine because they are fighting for their country, they are fighting for their future. They do not want to be part of Russia," Rubio said.