'A 10' — Trump gushes about meeting with Putin after Alaska summit fails to win ceasefire in Ukraine
U.S. Presidend Donald Trump rated his Aug. 15 meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin "a 10" out of 10 in an interview with Fox News' Sean Hannity later that day.
"I think the meeting was a 10 in the sense that we got along great," Trump said.
Trump and Putin met in Anchorage, Alaska for a nearly three-hour meeting that ended with no deal to end the war in Ukraine, though Trump claimed that "many points were agreed to" during the talks.
Speaking to Fox News after the summit, Trump heaped praise on the "very good meeting" and his "great relationship" with Putin, while providing few details as to the content of their discussion or possible options for Ukraine.
"I think we agree on a lot. I can tell you, the meeting was a warm meeting," he said.
Ahead of the Alaska Summit, Trump threatened to impose "severe consequences" on Russia if Putin did not agree to accept a ceasefire in Ukraine. After speaking with Putin, Trump said he didn't think sanctions were a necessary measure — despite the lack of ceasefire.
"Because of what happened today, I don't think we have to think about that now. I may have to think about it in two weeks or three weeks or something, but we don't have to think about that right now."
Trump said it is now up to Ukraine and President Volodymyr Zelensky to end the war by striking a peace deal with Moscow. His advice to Zelensky: "Make a deal."
"Gotta make a deal. Russia's a very big power, and they're not," he said.
According to Trump, the next step in the negotiations process is a face-to-face meeting with Zelensky and Putin. Arrangements for such a meeting will soon be underway, Trump said, and he will likely also participate in the talks.
"They both want me there, and I'll be there."
In a joint press conference alongside Putin directly after the meeting, Trump told reporters that there was one "most significant" point of disagreement between the two leaders. He did not say during the interview what that point was, stressing that he and Putin "made a lot of progress" and agreed about many things.
A major point of agreement involved former U.S. President Joe Biden. Putin publicly validated one of Trump's favorite talking points about the war in Ukraine: namely, that it never would have happened if Trump, not Biden, had been president in 2022.
"I was so happy when he said this (Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine) would have never happened," Trump said.
Putin also offered the U.S. president generous amounts of praise on his leadership abilities, according to Trump.
"Vladimir said just a little while ago, he said, 'I've never seen anyone do so much so fast.' He said, 'your country is like, hot as a pistol.'"
Regarding a ceasefire or possible agreement to end the war in Ukraine, Trump offered no timelines or concrete terms. He expressed optimism — though not certainty — about the prospects for a meaningful peace deal.
"We have a pretty good chance of getting it done."
