No Alaska Deal! Yet Putin Scores Symbolic and Strategic Wins

No Business until the war is over: Donald Trump

In a recent address to reporters aboard Air Force One, President Donald Trump commented on his upcoming meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska.

Trump noted that Putin brought "a lot of business people" with him from Russia, an action Trump said he "liked" because "they want to do business." However, he made it clear that "we're not doing business until we get the war settled. The war's got to stop and the killing's got to stop."

He went on to describe the United States as the "hottest country" economically, and stated that Putin "wants a piece of that" because Russia is "not hot, economically."

When asked about the ongoing Russian attacks on Ukraine, Trump suggested that Putin believes the attacks "help him make a better deal." However, Trump countered that the military action "actually hurts him." He concluded by calling Putin a "smart guy" and said there is "a good respect level on both sides."