On the eve of a high-stakes summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, United States President Donald Trump has claimed that his tariffs on India “essentially took them out of buying oil from Russia” – a move he suggested may have influenced Moscow’s willingness to negotiate.
Speaking to Fox News Radio’s The Brian Kilmeade Show on Thursday, Donald Trump said he believed Putin “wants to get it done” and is now convinced “he’s going to make a deal” when the two leaders meet on Friday.
Did US tariffs on India really impact Russia?
Donald Trump linked the anticipated diplomatic progress in meeting Vladimir Putin on Friday to his economic measures, particularly secondary tariffs against India. “Everything has an impact,” he said, adding that the restrictions had effectively removed India – Russia’s second-largest oil customer – from the market.
“Certainly, when you lose your second largest customer and you’re probably going to lose your first largest customer, I think that probably has a role,” Trump remarked, suggesting that economic pressure had created leverage ahead of the talks.
Will there be economic incentives for Russia?
When asked if Trump might offer “economic incentives” to Russia in exchange for ending the war in Ukraine, the US President refused to disclose details. “I wouldn’t want to play my hand in public,” he said. However, he emphasised that Russia had “tremendous potential” in oil and gas, calling it “a very profitable business.”
What could follow a successful meeting between Trump and Putin?
Trump indicated that if the summit yielded positive results, he would immediately call Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and invite him to a follow-up meeting at one of three possible locations – potentially even remaining in Alaska “because it would be by far the easiest”.
“If it’s a bad meeting, I’m not calling anybody. I’m going home,” he said. “But if it’s a good meeting, I’m going to call President Zelensky and the European leaders.”
How high are the stakes of Trump-Putin talks in Alaska?
Trump placed the odds of failure at 25 per cent, warning that unsuccessful talks could lead to further sanctions against Moscow. “In that case, I will return to run the country – and we have made America great again already in six months,” he declared.
While stressing that he would not personally negotiate an agreement between Russia and Ukraine, Trump said it would be up to Putin and Zelensky to finalise any deal. “I’m not going to negotiate their deal. I’m going to let them negotiate their deal,” he added.
Will there be a joint press conference from Trump-Putin?
The US President confirmed he would address the press after the meeting, but left open whether it would be alongside Putin. “I think it might be nice to have a joint [press conference], and then separates,” he said, noting that he would speak publicly regardless of whether the summit succeeded or collapsed.
As the world watches, Friday’s meeting in Alaska could mark either a breakthrough in the Ukraine conflict or a deepening of geopolitical tensions – with India’s role in the equation unexpectedly thrust into the spotlight.
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