Trump says 'first two minutes' of Ukraine summit with Putin will determine if there's going to be a deal

WASHINGTON, DC: As anticipation builds around the upcoming Alaska summit, President Donald Trump has offered an early glimpse into his predictions.

During a press conference on Monday, August 11, Trump confidently claimed he would know within the first two minutes of meeting Vladimir Putin whether a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine could be reached.

The summit comes in the wake of a meeting between Trump’s envoy, Steven Witkoff, and Putin, a discussion that quickly drew scrutiny amid reports that Witkoff may have misunderstood the Russian leader’s comments. Notably, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has not been invited to the summit.

Trump says he’ll know quickly if a peace deal is possible

Donald Trump asserted that he would be able to tell within the "first two minutes” of his upcoming meeting with Vladimir Putin whether a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine is possible.

“We’re going to have a meeting with Vladimir Putin, and at the end of that meeting, probably in the first two minutes, I’ll know exactly whether or not a deal can be made,” Trump told reporters during a Monday press conference. When asked how he would determine that so quickly, he responded confidently, “Because that’s what I do. I make deals.”

However, Trump appeared to walk back that claim moments later, suggesting the outcome was beyond his control. “I’m not going to make a deal. It’s not up to me to make a deal. I think a deal should be made for both,” he said.

The president is scheduled to meet with Putin this Friday in Alaska for the much-anticipated summit, where the two leaders are expected to discuss potential solutions to the war in Ukraine, which began with Russia’s invasion in February 2022.

What did Trump say about Zelensky’s attendance at the Alaska summit?

During the press conference, Donald Trump briefly appeared to confuse the location of his upcoming meeting with Vladimir Putin, mistakenly telling reporters he would be traveling to Russia, rather than to Alaska, known as "The Last Frontier."

He also mentioned that Ukrainian President Zelensky could attend the talks but questioned whether his presence would contribute to reaching a peace agreement.

“He wasn’t a part of it,” Trump said. “I would say he could go, but he’s been to a lot of meetings. You know, he’s been there for three and a half years. Nothing happened.”

The 79-year-old added that if a “fair” deal were reached, he would inform both the European Union and Zelensky, whom he said he would call first “out of respect.” As for what he might say, Trump remarked, “And I may say, ‘Lots of luck, keep fighting.’ Or I may say, ‘We can make a deal’”

He added, "Ultimately, I’m going to put the two of them in a room. I’ll be there, or I won’t be there, and I think it’ll get solved."

Internet reacts to Trump’s claims about upcoming Alaska summit

The video of Donald Trump claiming he would know within the first two minutes of his meeting with Vladimir Putin whether a peace deal is possible went viral, sparking widespread reaction across the internet.

One user mocked, "Sounds like he's very familiar at 2 minute endings," and another quipped, "Within the first 2 minutes, he'll give him another 2 weeks."

A person joked, "Trump will be asleep in 2 minutes," while someone else added, "So don't let it drag out because you will know in two minutes - similar to the tariffs - yes or no - no time to negotiate with Putin - two minutes just phone him - unless you have other things to say to Putin which is private lol."

One more wrote, "In the first 2 minutes Putin will tell Trump what to do and Trump will bow to his demands," while someone who was skeptical said, "He thinks he’s going to Russia so I doubt he’ll know anything."

On the other hand, a supporter of Trump remarked, "Trump don’t need hours of backroom talkin, he sizes a man up quick, always has. Two minutes with Putin and he’ll know which way the wind’s blowin. That’s how deals get made when grown-ups are in charge. Alaska ain’t just a location, it’s a signal, far from D.C., closer to reality. And reality’s where Trump does his best work."

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