With just one day to go until Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin meet in Anchorage to discuss Russia’s war in Ukraine, Putin is already mounting a charm offensive designed to appeal to Trump’s ego.
Making his first public comments since Trump announced the meeting last week, Putin said that the meeting with Trump will aim to “create long-term conditions for peace between our countries, as well as in Europe, and in the world as a whole.”
He added that peace might be possible if agreements are reached “in the area of control over strategic offensive weapons.” As CNN notes, the majority of strategic weapons treaties between Russia and the U.S. have covered nuclear weapons.
While the U.S. and Russia have both agreed to limit their nuclear arsenals, the 2011 treaty is due to expire in February next year. Trump recently ordered two nuclear submarines to be positioned near Russia in response to incendiary comments made by former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.
Speaking about Trump specifically, Putin said on Thursday, “The current American administration… is making, in my opinion, quite energetic and sincere efforts to stop the hostilities, stop the crisis and reach agreements that are of interest to all parties involved in this conflict.”
Trump has previously asserted that Ukraine, whose President Volodymyr Zelensky will not be attending the talks, will need to agree to a territory swap with Russia in order for a peace deal to be struck. Zelensky rejected this suggestion, insisting that Ukraine will never cede the Donbas region to Russia.
Both European and U.S. officials are concerned about Trump’s potential susceptibility to Putin’s flattery.
On CNN’s Erin Burnett OutFront Thursday night, journalist Kate Bolduan revealed that European officials have told CNN that they have concerns about Putin swaying Trump yet again, with one official saying that Trump “must be prepared, because Putin is very, very well prepared.”
Correspondent Kristen Holmes provided more insight from U.S. officials who share those concerns, telling Bolduan, ”It’s not just the Europeans who have been afraid of that. I’ve talked to U.S. officials who are worried that President Trump could go in there with the Russian president and be charmed by him.”
”It is not uncommon for people to be charmed by Vladimir Putin.”
During a Thursday interview on Fox Radio, Trump said that he believes Putin will make a deal. Appearing on The Brian Kilmeade Show, the president said of his Russian counterpart, “I believe now he’s convinced that he’s going to make a deal. He’s going to make a deal. I think he’s going to.”
He also expressed interest in arranging a second meeting that would include Zelensky, adding that three different locations are on the table, including staying in Alaska. One of the purposes of his Friday meeting with Putin would be to arrange this second meeting.
”We’re going to have a meeting with President Putin, President Zelensky, myself, and maybe we’ll bring some of the European leaders along, maybe not,” Trump said in the Oval Office Thursday.
