Sipu Jha
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday [Friday in the US] faced an unexpected media encounter in Alaska, where reporters bombarded him with questions as he arrived for talks with US President Donald Trump on the Ukraine conflict.During the welcome ceremony, foreign journalists called out questions on issues ranging from civilian casualties to prospects for a ceasefire in the three-year-old war.One question — “When will you stop killing civilians?” — drew a gesture from Putin suggesting he could not hear. Another asked why Trump should trust his words. There was no clear response to whether he would agree to a ceasefire.Such open exchanges are rare at events attended by the Russian leader, where the travelling press pool is generally limited to state-approved reporters.Later, the two leaders sat side by side at a US base, flanked by their delegations against a blue backdrop reading “Pursuing Peace”. While Putin appeared taken aback by a volley of simultaneous questions, Trump looked on.The reporters at the summit again called out queries, but this time, Trump offered only a “Thank you very much” before the press was escorted out. The Alaska meeting marks a rare in-person discussion between the US and Russian presidents amid ongoing hostilities in Ukraine, with both leaders under close scrutiny at home and abroad.Ahead of the summit, which could influence the war in Ukraine and relations between Washington and Moscow, Trump said that if the talks with Putin go badly, he “would walk.” “I think it’s going to work out very well, and if it doesn’t, I’m going to head back home real fast,” Trump said while talking to American news broadcaster Fox News. “If it doesn’t, you walk?” Fox anchor Bret Baier asked. “I would walk, yeah,” Trump replied.The meeting gives Trump an opportunity to present himself as a negotiator who can help end the conflict in Ukraine, something he had assured he could do quickly after being elected to the White House.
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