Trump wants new summit with Zelensky and Putin to end Ukraine-Russia conflict

Hours before traveling to Alaska to meet with Vladimir Putin, President Donald Trump stressed how important it would be to hold a three-way summit with his Russian counterpart and Volodymyr Zelensky to end the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

During an interview on Fox News Radio, Trump said he would like this meeting he is going to have with Putin to be the prelude to a second meeting, with the difference being that at that Zelensky will be present.

"There will be a give-and-take as to boundaries, lands, et cetera, et cetera. The second meeting is going to be very, very important. This meeting sets up, it’s like a chess game. This meeting set up the second meeting," Trump said.

"The second meaning is going to be very very important because that’s going to a meeting where they make a deal," the president added.

Regarding his meeting with Putin in Alaska, Trump was not entirely confident that the meeting will be a success and that progress will be made in resolving the Ukraine-Russia conflict.

"There is a 25% chance that this meeting will not be a successful meeting," he said.

Putin thanks Trump for wanting to put an end to the war

The Russian president sent a message of thanks to his American counterpart for his "sincere efforts" to end the war in Ukraine.

"The U.S. administration ... is making quite energetic and sincere efforts to end hostilities, get out of the crisis and reach agreements that would satisfy all parties involved," Putin said Thursday, in remarks picked up by AFP.