Ahead of a high-stakes meeting in Alaska to discuss the war in Ukraine, U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday issued a stark warning to Russian President Vladimir Putin, threatening “very severe consequences” if Moscow refuses to agree to peace. While Trump did not specify the nature of these consequences, he hinted earlier that economic sanctions could be on the table if Friday’s meeting, scheduled for August 15, fails to yield results.
When pressed by reporters on whether Russia would face repercussions if Putin rejected a peace deal, Trump replied, “Yes, they will,” but declined to elaborate further, saying, “I don’t have to say. There will be very severe consequences.”
Trump also floated the possibility of a follow-up meeting involving both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. “If the first one goes okay, we’ll have a quick second one,” he said, adding that he hoped such a meeting could take place “almost immediately.”
The Alaska talks are intended to “set the table” for more direct negotiations between the warring parties. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Alexei Fadeev reiterated Moscow’s unchanged demands for a ceasefire: Ukraine’s withdrawal from four disputed regions and a formal pledge to abandon NATO membership plans.
French President Emmanuel Macron, speaking after a virtual meeting between Trump, Zelensky, and other European leaders, said Trump was “very clear” about the U.S. objective of achieving a ceasefire during the summit.
Trump has suggested that any comprehensive agreement could involve land swaps and that a trilateral meeting with himself, Putin, and Zelensky could follow if initial talks are constructive. “There’s a very good chance that we’re going to have a second meeting, which will be more productive than the first,” Trump said. “It’s going to be a very important meeting, but it’s setting the table for the second meeting.”
