Trump says Putin summit has 25% chance of failure: 'If it weren't me, he wouldn't be talking to anybody'

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump said on Thursday, August 14, that there is a 25 percent chance his Alaska summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin could fail.

He added that a "more important" meeting could take place later with both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky taking part in it. 

During an interview with Fox News Radio host Brian Kilmeade, the POTUS said that he is the only reason Putin is coming to the table, and told reporters later in the Oval Office that the sitdown in Anchorage would be a first step.

Donald Trump calls himself 'toughest' leader Vladimir Putin has faced

Donald Trump said, "I think [Putin] wants to get it done. I really feel he wanted the whole thing. I think if it weren’t me, if it was somebody else, he would not be talking to anybody."

He added, "I’m the toughest one that he’s ever had to deal with. He’s never had to deal with anybody like me."

The president also said that a successful meeting on Friday, August 15, could result in him staying in Alaska to host a follow-up meeting featuring the Russian leader and Volodymyr Zelensky.

"I believe now he’s convinced that he’s going to make a deal” to end the long-running conflict. I’m going to know very quickly," Trump added.

Moreover, he described the high-profile encounters as a preliminary step toward peace and said, "I don’t know that we’re going to get an immediate cease-fire, but I think it’s going to come."

He told the Fox News host, "Depending on what happens with my meeting, I’m going to be calling the president, Zelensky, and let’s get him over to wherever we’re going to meet."

"I don’t know where we’re going to have the second meeting, but we have an idea of three different locations and we’ll be including the possibility, because it would be by far the easiest, of staying in Alaska," the POTUS said. "If it’s a bad meeting, I’m not calling anybody, I’m going home."

Interestingly, several details of the Alaska summit remain unknown just a day ahead of time, including whether the leaders will jointly address the press afterward.

Trump said, "I would say I’ll have a press conference in either event."

"If it’s negative, I’ll have a press conference to say that the war is going to go on and these people are horribly going to continue to shoot each other and kill each other, and I think it’s a disgrace, and I’ll head back to Washington. Or I’ll have a press conference that’s positive," he mentioned.

Internet reacts to Donald Trump's statement

Online users remained divided, sharing mixed reactions after Donald Trump said there was a 25 percent chance his Alaska summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin could end in failure.

An online comment read, "Look, I want Donald to do well but enough of the “I’m the only one” talk. He also said he would have it done and over with Day 1 of his second term. That certainly didn’t happen. Just do the job and stop with the declarations of grandeur" while one added, "Putin won’t keep his word no matter who talks to him."

A person stated, "It will be 100% failure. I'd bet my house on it," whereas one mentioned, "I am not a Trump supporter but I am an American. I hope these meetings go well, as every American should. Just getting Putin to the table is a win."

Another user wrote, "This guys need for validation is amazing. How did someone with such thin skin wind up as the president of the United States," while one commented, "The world's great peacemaker. President Trump."

A person mentioned, "Trump is such a modest fellow," whereas one added, "Peace talks will fail. Guaranteed. Trump will be played like a fiddle. Yet again. Putin has no intention of stopping this war. Trump really is a fool. Remember when Trump believed Putin over our own intelligence agencies. I do. Wow. What a patriot."

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.