Trump confirms plans for ‘economically severe’ sanctions for Russia over Ukraine as he goes to meet Putin – Europe live | Donald Trump

Historical references also come up in other countries’ reactions ahead of tonight’s summit, with leaders of Ukraine’s neighbour, Poland, warning against “Russian imperialism” as a threat facing Europe.

In a social media post ahead of today’s commemorations of the 105th anniversary of the 1920 Battle of Warsaw – when the Polish army defeated the Red Army near the capital – Poland’s new president Karol Nawrocki drew parallels with the situation in Ukraine.

“That is why we will never surrender to Russian imperialism, and why we stand with Ukraine in defending its freedom – to make Europe whole, free, and at peace once again.

Russia is not unstoppable. Russia is not undefeatable.”

He returned to the topic in his speech at the event, which saw a major military parade with 50 military aircraft and 4,000 soldiers from Polish and allied armies and is also a public holiday in Poland.

Nawrocki added that Russia “lost to Japan at the beginning of the 20th century, it was defeated by the Poles in 1920, and today, for over three years… it has been floundering after its attack on Ukraine,” crediting the allies and Poland for helping Ukrainians.

Similar themes also appeared in comments by Poland’s prime minister, Donald Tusk, who said:

“15 August is a good day for talks with Russia about war and peace. On this day 105 years ago during the Battle of Warsaw Poles stopped the Red Army in its march on Europe.

Luckily we didn’t know that Russia ‘is invincible’ – and we beat them.

Peace through strength, nothing else.”

Both Nawrocki and Tusk took part in the European leaders’ consultations ahead of the Alaska summit.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked Nawrocki for his comments, saying that “with a neighbor like Russia, only the cooperation of free nations can effectively protect each of them.”

He said:

“Ukraine’s independence strengthens Poland’s independence. And we must always remember that the Miracle on the Vistula was made possible through joint efforts, and it saved Europe.

In the same way, Ukrainians have been defending our state in the full scale war for four years. By repelling the Russian army in Ukraine – near Kyiv, in the Sumy, Kharkiv, and Donetsk regions, as well as in the Black Sea – Ukrainians are truly ensuring the opportunity for all Europeans to live freely, free of Moscow’s madness.”

Russian affairs reporter

Putin touched down in Russia’s far eastern city of Magadan en route to his high-stakes summit with Trump, pausing for what appeared to be a series of trivial meetings with local officials. State media said he discussed the city’s urban planning and inspected a plant for processing and refining fish oil.

Such deliberately low-profile stops are a familiar prelude for the Russian leader before major events – a staged display, observers say, meant to project confidence and control ahead of meeting the US president.

But there was also a pointed gesture clearly aimed at charming Trump, as Putin laid flowers at a memorial commemorating US–Soviet cooperation in the second world war.

Trump has in the past praised Russia’s military record, and Moscow has said the US leader was “deeply impressed” by the Soviet Union’s wartime losses.

Aaand here it is – Trump confirms his “wonderful” call with Lukashenko, saying “the purpose of the call was to thank him for the release of 16 prisoners,” with 1,300 under discussion.

They also, understandably, discussed the upcoming summit with Putin.

Curiously, Trump’s readout also includes a reference to a meeting in the future.

Here is his social media post in full:

I had a wonderful talk with the highly respected President of Belarus, Aleksandr Lukashenko. The purpose of the call was to thank him for the release of 16 prisoners. We are also discussing the release of 1,300 additional prisoners. Our conversation was a very good one. We discussed many topics, including President Putin’s visit to Alaska. I look forward to meeting President Lukashenko in the future. Thank you for your attention to this matter!

And the Belarusian news agency Belta has just reported that Trump also spoke with the Belarusian president, Aleksander Lukashenko today.

No more details on the call were reported, and there has been no confirmation on this from the US side (yet?).

Looks like we’re going to get the first big moment of the summit very early on, as the Kremlin has just announced that US president Trump will formally welcome Russia’s Putin at his plane after arriving in Alaska.

Russian press complains about ‘Spartan conditions’ in Alaska

Pjotr Sauer

Despite confident trolling from some members of the Russian delegation (13:49), Russia’s state press, however, were in a less celebratory mood on arrival at their modest sleeping quarters in Anchorage, Alaska’s largest city, where the summit will take place.

With hotel space taken up by the influx of international media, Russian reporters were put up in the local ice hockey team’s stadium, which had been converted into a Covid hospital during the pandemic and fitted with army beds donated by the Red Cross.

“We are living in Spartan conditions,” one reporter is heard complaining in a clip posted on social media.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has just posted on social media, saying he expects to get a report from the Ukrainian intelligence services today “on the current intentions of the Russian side and its preparations for the meeting in Alaska.”

Directly responding to Trump’s earlier comments (13:19), he then says:

Indeed, high stakes.

He adds:

“The key thing is that this meeting should open up a real path toward a just peace and a substantive discussion between leaders in a trilateral format – Ukraine, the United States, and the Russian side.

It is time to end the war, and the necessary steps must be taken by Russia.

We are counting on America. We are ready, as always, to work as productively as possible.”

Trump also confirms his earlier threat of “severe” consequences for Russia if it fails to show willingness to seriously talk about the end of war in Ukraine.

He says:

“Economically severe. It will be very severe.

I’m not doing this for my health, okay, I don’t need it. I’d like to focus on our country, but I’m doing this to save a lot of lives.

Yeah, very severe.”

He ends the briefing here.

Trump also gets asked about the possibility of the US providing security guarantees to Ukraine.

He says:

“Maybe, along with Europe and other countries.

Not in the form of Nato, because that’s not going to, you know, there are certain things that aren’t going to happen.

But yeah, along with Europe, there’s possibility …”