President Donald Trump said he feels confident before his upcoming meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, claiming he will know within “the first two minutes” if a deal can be made to end the war in Ukraine.
Trump made the comment during a White House press briefing on Monday, Aug. 11, 2025. The event was called to announce his plan for the federal government to take control of Washington, D.C.’s police force in an effort to reduce crime. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Attorney General Pam Bondi stood by his side.
Talking about the meeting, which will take place Friday in Alaska, Trump said it would be “a feel-out meeting” to see if progress is possible. “It’ll be good, but it might be bad,” he added. “At the end, I might say, ‘Lots of luck, keep fighting.’ Or I might say, ‘We can make a deal.’”
Trump is pushing for a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, but Putin may want to keep the territory Russia has gained since starting the war in February 2022.
Although the White House considered inviting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to the Alaska talks, he is not expected to attend. Trump has avoided directly saying whether he will insist on Zelensky’s participation, noting that the Ukrainian leader has attended “a lot of meetings” without ending the conflict.
Trump said a follow-up meeting could involve him, Putin, and Zelensky together. In the past, he has criticized Zelensky for not holding elections during the war, calling him a “dictator.” At the same time, Trump has shown frustration with Putin for not taking the ceasefire discussions more seriously.
