Trump’s Upcoming Meeting with Putin
On Tuesday, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich shared his thoughts on Fox News’ “Hannity,” predicting that President Donald Trump might walk out of his upcoming meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Gingrich suggested that if Trump senses Putin is trying to play him, he’ll probably just leave.
Trump took to Truth Social last Friday to announce that he’d be meeting with Putin on August 15, motivated by his ongoing quest for peace between Ukraine and Russia. When host Sean Hannity asked Gingrich about the potential outcomes of this meeting, he expressed concern about recent Russian aggression, noting, “It was a bad sign that the Russians launched a big attack just before this.” He added that Putin might misinterpret Trump’s intentions and attempt to bluff him, surmising, “I think he’s going to get up and leave.”
Gingrich elaborated, mentioning that Trump might confront Putin directly by saying, “You’re a liar, and I can’t trust you.” He acknowledged that Putin may completely misread Trump, thinking that they could engage in some sort of fantasy dialogue. Nevertheless, Gingrich still expressed optimism about Trump, stating, “I have a great belief in Donald Trump.”
Trump specified that the meeting would take place in “the great state” of Alaska. Earlier, after a two-hour call with Putin, they had discussed negotiations in May. Despite Trump’s efforts to seek an end to the conflict, Putin remained hesitant to engage with Ukraine.
The war’s death toll continues to climb, with estimates suggesting hundreds of thousands have been affected. Recently, Trump announced plans to support Ukraine by sending offensive weaponry and signaled strong potential sanctions against Russia. He’s been vocal about reducing Putin’s negotiating power as well.
Gingrich commented on Trump’s likely approach, saying that if Trump conveys a message of inevitable consequences for continued aggression, he might leave if Putin responds dismissively. He recounted a previous negotiation experience, recalling how Trump remained patient while dealing with the Japanese, which led to eventual success.
In recent developments, U.S. special envoy Steve Witkov also met with Putin, hinting this might be one last effort for peace talks. Reports suggest that Putin might entertain the idea of halting the war if the Russian-speaking Donbas region is abandoned.
This meeting comes in the context of other successful agreements, such as a ceasefire between Azerbaijan and Armenia and agreements involving Thailand, Cambodia, Israel, Syria, and India, and Pakistan.
