Donald Trump says brokering a Ukraine ceasefire with Vladimir Putin is Alaska Summit's imperative

US President Donald Trump arrived in Alaska on Friday for a high-profile meeting with President Vladimir Putin of Russia in hopes of brokering a ceasefire in the Ukraine war and said he was “not going to be happy” if the Russians refuse to go along.

Speaking with reporters aboard Air Force One as he flew to Alaska, Mr Trump said “there’s nothing set in stone” regarding a potential agreement, acknowledging that success was uncertain.

“I want to see a ceasefire rapidly,” he said.

“I don’t know if it’s going to be today. But I’m not going to be happy if it’s not today.”

In a separate airborne interview with Fox News, Mr Trump said “I would walk” if Mr Putin baulked at a deal to end the fighting.

The President landed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage at about 10.20am local time, and was expected to greet Mr Putin, who had not yet arrived, on the tarmac.

The Kremlin’s spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, said meetings could last six to seven hours. The White House hopes to hold a news conference by late afternoon in Alaska, announcing some sort of progress.

Mr Trump has been unclear about his negotiating positions, but said that while he was interested in resuming economic ties between the United States and Russia, it could not happen “until we get the war settled.”

He said he expected to discuss land swaps between Ukraine and Russia — which Ukraine vehemently opposes — but added that “I’ve got to let Ukraine make that decision.”

He also said “there’s a possibility” of security assurances for Ukraine as part of an eventual peace deal but “not in the form of NATO” membership.

Hours earlier, Mr Trump injected new uncertainty into his effort to end the war in Ukraine by calling Mr Putin’s top ally, President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus, and then heaping praise on him. Mr Lukashenko is one of the world’s longest-ruling dictators and a figure long shunned by US presidents, and he helped Russia begin its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Mr Trump wrote on social media that he “had a wonderful talk” with Mr Lukashenko, and called him “highly respected.”

What we know about the Trump-Putin meeting

— Summit details: Mr Trump and Mr Putin are expected to give a joint news conference after the meeting, at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. Mr Trump was not scheduled to be on the ground in Alaska for the six - seven hours that Kremlin suggested. The White House said he would depart for Washington at 5.45pm local time.

— Possible scenarios: The outcome of the meeting seems to be less predictable than most presidential summits. Among the issues that could shape the proceedings are whether Mr Putin is prepared to discuss a ceasefire and whether Mr Trump will apply pressure on Russia by threatening more sanctions or additional support to Ukraine, as European allies want.

— The Trump-Putin relationship: The meeting will be at least the seventh between the two leaders, and the first of Mr Trump’s second term.

His first term was shadowed by questions over Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, which Mr Trump has repeatedly referred to as “the Russia hoax.” It will be the first US visit in a decade for Mr Putin, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes in Ukraine and risks arrest if he travels to countries that are members of the court. The United States is not.

— On the battlefield: Russia enters Friday’s talks from a position of strength against Ukraine. Its army has driven a wedge into Ukrainian defences in the east, and Ukrainian officials have warned that Moscow has amassed forces and equipment for new offensive operations.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

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