Ahead of his call with world leaders on Wednesday, Trump strongly criticized what he claimed has been “very unfair” media coverage of his upcoming talk with Putin.
“Very unfair media is at work on my meeting with Putin. Constantly quoting fired losers and really dumb people,” Trump said via Truth Social, before referencing recent comments made by his former national security adviser John Bolton, who asserted that “Putin has already won,” in an interview with The Atlantic.
Amid much discussion over the Trump-Putin summit and what, if any, progress can be made, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has seemingly downplayed expectations.
Addressing reporters on Tuesday, she said the meeting will serve as a “listening exercise” for Trump, in order for him to get a “better understanding” of how to end the war in Ukraine.
It will be recalled that since Alaska summit was announced, European officials have been scrambling diplomatically wanting to be part of the meeting or at least allow Zelensky to participate.
They met with US Vice President JD Vance in Britain over the weekend, the bloc’s foreign ministers held a videoconference on August 11, and on August 13 several of the continent’s leaders – including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy – will hold another call with Trump. (GSF)
