Trump: I think Putin wants to get it done. I feel he wanted the whole thing. If it weren’t me, he would not talk to anybody. I believe now he’s convinced he’s going to make a deal, we’ll see in the meeting. 1/
Trump: Everything has an impact. I told India we’d charge them for buying Russian oil. They called to meet. Losing your second and first largest customers matters. He respects our country now. The market’s raging, companies moving back. Golden age of America. 2/
Trump: Economic incentives and disincentives are very important. Russia has tremendous potential, largest land, great wealth. Oil and gas is very profitable. They have advantages over most countries. Economic sanctions and incentives are very powerful. 3/
Trump: I don’t know if we’ll get an immediate ceasefire, but I think it’s coming. I’m more interested in a fast peace deal. Depending on my meeting, I’ll call Zelenskyy. Second meeting has three possible locations, including staying in Alaska. 4/
Trump: I don’t want to indicate a second meeting. Maybe there will, maybe not. I’ll let them negotiate their deal. If it’s a good meeting, I’ll call Zelenskyy and European leaders. NATO agreed to pay 5%, very unified. If bad, I’m going home. 5/
Trump: We had a great press conference in Finland (2018), but fake news tried to make it bad. Hours later, they made a scheme about me and Russia. We’re under pressure from the Russia hoax. I told Putin it would be very hard to make any economic deal. 6Х
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Russian forces broke through Ukrainian defenses near Dobropillya, advancing several miles deep — a rare gain in a war where Russia holds 20% of Ukraine.
Zelenskyy said troops carried only handheld weapons, highlighting the unusual, lightly equipped assault, WSJ. 1/
Ukraine is counterattacking small Russian groups that breached its first defense line. Zelenskyy called the area “the most difficult” on the front, noting some Russians were killed or captured.
He said the push aims to show Russia advancing and Ukraine losing. 2/
Putin seeks a battlefield edge before talks in Alaska, hoping to increase pressure on Kyiv-held cities in eastern Donetsk.
At the summit, the Kremlin will push for U.S. recognition of its control over Donetsk and other occupied Ukrainian regions. 3/
Trump: Putin’s trying to set a stage [with more drone strikes on Ukraine].
In his mind, it helps him make a better deal if they can continue the killing. It actually hurts him. Maybe it's just his fabric or genes. 1/
Trump: Putin's bringing a lot of business people from Russia [to Alaska]. That's good.
I like that because they want to do business. But they won’t until we get the war settled. 2/
Q: What's the difference between calls and face-to-face meeting with Putin?
Trump: He's a smart guy. He’s been doing it for a long time, so have I. We get along. There's a good respect level on both sides. Something's going to come of it. 3/
McFaul: Trump’s actions show no real strategy. He cut planned sanctions on India from 100% to 25%, delayed them, dropped China. His approach appeases Putin, pressures Ukraine, and has emboldened Putin to demand Ukraine leave land it still controls. 1/
McFaul: I see no sign Witkoff coordinates with others like envoy Kellogg. He flies to Moscow, treats Putin as a friend, acts more like a mailman than a negotiator, and may have even misunderstood Putin’s offer. The system needs tightening. 2/
McFaul: Putin is driven by ideas, not money or transactions. He aims to expand the Russian empire, thinking history will remember him for it. This isn’t about NATO; he sees no security threat from Ukraine. 3/