Trump Says Putin Told Him ‘We Can Make a Deal’

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One en route to Alaska, President Donald Trump outlined his goals for today’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin — including a rapid ceasefire in Ukraine, potential business talks if progress is made, and “economically severe” consequences if Moscow fails to act.

In a six-minute Q&A session, Trump discussed territorial swaps, security guarantees, and new tariffs on chips and semiconductors set to be announced in the coming weeks.

What would make today’s meeting a success?
TRUMP: “I can’t tell you that. I don’t know. There’s nothing set in stone. I want certain things. I want to see a ceasefire. This has not to do with Europe. Europe’s not telling me what to do, but they’re going to be involved in the process obviously, as well as Zelensky.

“But I want to see a ceasefire rapidly. I don’t know if it’s going to be today, but I’m not going to be happy if it’s not today. Everyone said it can’t be today, but I’m just saying, I want the killing to stop. I’m in this to stop the killing. You know, we’re not putting up any money. We’re making money. They’re buying our weapons, sending them to NATO, and NATO’s sending us big, beautiful checks. But I don’t care about that… What I do care about is they lost last week 7,011 people. Almost all soldiers.”

Difference between a phone call and face-to-face meeting:
TRUMP: “No difference. Look, he’s a smart guy, been doing it for a long time, and so have I. Been doing it for a long time. And here we are. We’re president. That was much more difficult than what I’m doing today. Believe me. So, we get along. There’s a good respect level on both sides. I think, you know, something’s going to come of it. I notice he’s bringing a lot of business people from Russia. And that’s good, I like that, because they want to do business, but they’re not doing business until we get the war settled.

“One year ago we were dead as a door nail. And now we have the hottest country. And he wants a piece of that. Because his country is not hot economically. In fact, it’s the opposite. And China’s not doing well economically. But we’re all — Look, I want everybody to do well. The war’s got to stop and the killing’s got to stop.”

Response to latest Russian drone strikes:
TRUMP: “I think they’re trying to negotiate. He’s trying to set a stage. I think in his mind, that helps him make a better deal. It actually hurts him. But in his mind that helps him make a better deal if they can continue the killing. Maybe it’s a part of the world, maybe it’s just his fabric, his genes, his genetics. But he thinks that makes him, gives him strength in negotiating. I think it hurts him. But I’ll be talking to him about it.”

Are territorial swaps on the table?
TRUMP: “They’ll be discussed, but I’ve got to let Ukraine make that decision. And I think they’ll make a proper decision. But I’m not here to negotiate for Ukraine…

I think you have two sides — Look, Vladimir Putin wanted to take all of Ukraine. If I wasn’t president, he would right now be taking all of Ukraine. And he’s not going to do it.”

Trump on possibility of U.S. providing security guarantees:
TRUMP: “Maybe. Along with Europe and other countries. Not in the form of NATO, because you know there are certain things that aren’t going to happen. But yeah, along with Europe there’s possibility.”

Do you want to discuss business with Putin at this meeting?
TRUMP: “Yeah, if we make progress, I would discuss it. Because that’s one of the things that they would like. They’d like to get a piece of what I’ve built in terms of the economy.

He wouldn’t have been interested a year ago with the Biden economy. But he is interested in the Trump economy. Wait until you see when those factories start opening up. We have hundreds of factories all over the country, and that includes auto factories, AI factories and every other thing. They’re all coming in because they want to beat the tariffs. Because if they open here, they don’t have to pay tariffs. If they don’t open here, they have to pay, in some cases, 200 percent, 300 percent. I haven’t even set some of the tariffs yet.

“I’ll be setting tariffs next week and the week after on steel and on I would say chips. Chips and semiconductors we’ll be setting some time next week, week after.”

What rate?
TRUMP: “Well, I’m going to have a rate that is going to be lower at the beginning. Then that gives them a chance to come in and build. And very high after a certain period of time. And if they don’t build here, they have to pay a very high tariff.”

What do you mean by severe consequences?
TRUMP: “Economically severe. Yes, it will be very severe. I’m not doing this for my health, OK? I don’t need it. I’d like to focus on our country. But I’m doing this to save a lot of lives.”