Trump to test Putin in Alaska with no Ukraine final deal, says NATO Secretary General
Photo: NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte (Getty Images)
US President Donald Trump will test Russian leader Vladimir Putin about his seriousness of ending the war in Ukraine during the summit in Alaska on August 15, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte says in a comment to CBS News.
Rutte expressed confidence that full-fledged peace negotiations will definitely include the participation of Ukraine and Europe.
"Obviously, when it comes to peace talks, the ceasefire and what happens after that - on territories, on security guarantees for Ukraine, Ukraine will have to be and will be involved," NATO Secretary General said.
However, during the Trump-Putin meeting in Alaska, the Russian leader will be tested to see if he is truly committed to making peace with Ukraine.
"On Friday, it is important to see how serious Putin is, and the only one who can do that is President Trump. So it's really crucial that the meeting takes place. It will not be the final say on this and there will not be the final deal on this, of course," Rutte explained.
Trump-Putin meeting
On August 8, Trump announced that he would meet with Putin on August 15 in the US state of Alaska. One of the key topics of the talks will be the war in Ukraine.
According to the Wall Street Journal, during the negotiations, Putin may demand recognition of Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories in exchange for withdrawing troops from other regions. The leaders of the EU and Ukraine have proposed an alternative peace plan that rejects Putin's demands.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was not initially expected to participate in the summit. However, media reports citing sources in the White House say that the possibility of Zelenskyy's participation is still being considered by the US administration. European leaders, including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, are insisting on Zelenskyy's involvement.
