Trump issues warning before meeting Putin

Washington [US], August 14: US President Donald Trump warned on August 13 that "there will be very serious consequences" if Russian President Vladimir Putin does not agree to peace in Ukraine, according to Reuters.
Asked whether Russia would face any consequences if President Putin did not agree to end the conflict in Ukraine after the upcoming Russia-US summit, Mr Trump replied: "Yes, they will."
Asked whether those consequences would be sanctions or tariffs, Mr Trump told reporters: "I don't have to say. There will be very serious consequences."
On the other hand, President Trump also described the purpose of the meeting between the two US and Russian leaders, scheduled to take place in Alaska (USA) on August 15, as "preparing" for a quick follow-up meeting, with the participation of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
"If the first meeting goes well, we'll have a quick second meeting. I'd like to do that almost immediately, and we'll have a quick second meeting between President Putin, President Zelensky and myself, if they want me to be there," Trump stressed.
Trump did not give a time frame for the second meeting, according to Reuters. Meanwhile, CBS News, citing a source familiar with the matter, said the Trump administration is looking for a location for a three-way summit with Russia and Ukraine next weekend.
Red line
Earlier in the day, European leaders and President Zelensky spoke with Mr Trump in a German-led call aimed at drawing red lines ahead of a US-Russia summit in Alaska .
"We had a very productive call. He was on the call. President Zelensky was on the call. I would rate it a 10, very friendly," Trump said.
French President Emmanuel Macron said President Trump agreed Ukraine must be included in any discussions on ceding territory, while President Zelensky said President Trump supported the idea of providing security guarantees to Ukraine in a post-conflict solution.
"President Trump was very clear that the United States wanted to achieve a ceasefire at this meeting in Alaska. The second point that President Trump made very clear was that the territories belonging to Ukraine cannot be negotiated and only the President of Ukraine can negotiate," Mr. Marcon added.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stressed that the principle that borders cannot be changed by force must continue to be applied. "If Russia does not make any moves in Alaska, then the United States and we Europeans should... increase the pressure," Mr. Merz said.
There is currently no information about Russia's reaction to the statements of the above leaders.
Trump does not intend to discuss territorial division with Putin?
During their upcoming summit, President Trump and President Putin are expected to discuss ways to end the three-and-a-half-year Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Mr Trump had previously said both sides would have to exchange territory to end the conflict that has claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced millions, according to Reuters.
However, NBC News quoted several sources revealing that in the phone call with the aforementioned European leaders, President Trump said he did not intend to discuss any possibility of territorial division when he met President Putin in Alaska.
Meanwhile, The Telegraph reported on August 13 that President Trump is preparing to offer President Putin access to rare earth minerals and other economic incentives to end the conflict in Ukraine.
The new package of proposals is said to include allowing Russia access to Alaska's natural resources and lifting some US sanctions on Russia's aviation industry, which is struggling under the weight of international sanctions, according to The Telegraph .
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and other senior officials are said to be working closely with President Trump to finalize the proposals ahead of the US-Russia summit in Alaska.
Russia has long insisted that a lasting peace deal must include Ukraine's commitment not to join NATO, demilitarization and recognition of new territorial realities on the ground. Kyiv has rejected these terms, according to RT.
A Gallup poll released last week found that 69 percent of Ukrainians support ending the conflict through negotiations as soon as possible. However, polls also show that Ukrainians do not want peace at any price if it means significant territorial concessions, according to Reuters.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper