Trump optimistic about Russia-Ukraine peace deal: ‘I know exactly what I’m doing’

Amid the possibility of a trilateral meeting, President Donald Trump’s outlook on negotiations between Russia and Ukraine included a reminder to the media about his dealmaking prowess.

(Video Credit: Fox News)

Friday, after making an announcement about the 2026 FIFA World Cup alongside FIFA President Gianni Infantino, the president fielded questions from the press in the Oval Office. It was then that repeated inquiries about the progress of peace talks involving Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy found Trump optimistic about what may come within two weeks.

Adorned with a red hat that read “TRUMP WAS RIGHT ABOUT EVERYTHING!” the president responded to a question about where things may be at the end of two weeks and said, “Well then, I’m gonna make a decision as to what we do. And it’s gonna be a very important decision. And that’s whether or not it’s massive sanctions or massive tariffs or both. Or do we do nothing and say it’s your fight.”

Reminding the press about the numerous peace deals he’d brokered and the reported devastating loss of life as the now-three and a half year war between Russia and Ukraine was said to be causing 7,000 deaths per week, the president was then asked by CNN White House reporter Alayna Treene, “Are you saying that’s a real possibility then, that you do nothing if Putin doesn’t come to the table for a ceasefire?”

“I’ll see whose fault it is. If there are reasons why, I’ll understand that. I know exactly what I’m doing,” asserted the commander-in-chief. “We’re gonna see whether or not they have a meeting. That’ll be interesting to see. And if they don’t, why didn’t they have a meeting, ’cause I told them to have a meeting. But I’ll know in two weeks what I’m gonna do.”

Earlier in the week, the president had hosted European leaders, including Zelenskyy, mere days after hosting Putin in Alaska. While White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt wound up excoriating corporate media over the anti-Trump slant being applied to how talks were being covered, the president had more to say about the conflict between Putin and Zelenskyy on Friday.

Prior to the Oval Office event, Trump had made a surprise visit to The People’s House: A White House Experience, where he’d referred to the respective leaders as “oil and vinegar.”

“We’re gonna see if Putin and Zelenskyy will be working together. You know that’s like oil and vinegar a little bit. They don’t get along too well, for obvious reasons,” said the president. “But we’ll see. And then we’ll see whether or not I would have to be there. And I’d rather not. I’d rather have them have a meeting and see how they can do. But in the meantime, they continue to fight and they continue to kill people, which is very stupid.”

.@POTUS: “We’re going to see if Putin and Zelensky will be working together… They don’t get along too well for obvious reasons, but we’ll see.” pic.twitter.com/gX3hCx9EDx

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) August 22, 2025