Trump Issues Warning to Putin Ahead of Summit

French President Emmanuel Macron said Trump was "very clear" during a virtual meeting with European leaders that the United States aims to secure a ceasefire at the summit.

In the same meeting, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told participants he believes Putin "is bluffing" ahead of his talks with Trump. Zelensky accused Putin of "trying to apply pressure on all sectors of the Ukrainian front" to project that Russia is "capable of occupying all of Ukraine."

Zelensky also dismissed Putin's public posture on sanctions, saying the Russian leader acts "as if they do not matter to him and are ineffective," but in reality, sanctions are "very helpful and are hitting Russia's war economy hard."

Reporter: Will Russia face any consequences if Putin does not agree to stop the war after your meeting on Friday?

Trump: Yes

Reporter: What will those consequences this be? Sanctions, tariffs?

Trump: I don't have to say. pic.twitter.com/ga7vZOe0HG

— Acyn (@Acyn) August 13, 2025

"President Trump also wants to make this one of his priorities in Friday's meeting with President Putin, and I hope there is a corresponding agreement," Macron said.

Merz added that "important decisions" could be made in Anchorage but stressed that "fundamental European and Ukrainian security interests must be protected." If Russia does not move toward peace, he said, "the United States and the Europeans should and must increase the pressure" on Moscow.

What People Are Saying

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Bloomberg Television on Wednesday: "I'm not going to get ahead of the president, but the president is the best at creating leverage for himself, and he will make it clear to President Putin that all options are on the table."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on Telegram: "Putin is definitely not preparing for a ceasefire or an end to the war. He is determined only to present a meeting with America as his personal victory and then continue acting exactly as before, applying the same pressure on Ukraine."