Trump ready to 'walk' on Putin talks in Alaska if they don't work out

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Trump: I'll walk if Putin meeting doesn't work out

President Donald Trump speaks to Fox News anchor Bret Baier on board Air Force One en route to Alaska to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

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President Donald Trump offered a glimpse into his plans ahead of a historic summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin. 

Speaking exclusively Friday to Fox News chief political anchor Bret Baier aboard Air Force One, Trump outlined what he’s expecting from the meeting, and what would happen if it doesn’t go his way.

 "We’re going for a meeting with President Putin in Alaska," Trump said while en route to the summit.

"And I think it’s going to work out very well and if it doesn’t, I’m going to head back home real fast," the president said.

The talks come as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continues to claim lives daily in the third year of the conflict. The summit is being held in Anchorage, Alaska, chosen as a midpoint between Washington and Moscow. 

This is the first high-level summit between the United States and Russia since the start of the Ukraine war. It’s also President Putin’s first time on U.S. soil in nearly a decade. 

TRUMP TO HOLD HISTORIC SUMMIT WITH PUTIN IN ALASKA SEEKING AN END TO RUSSIA–UKRAINE WAR

U.S. President Donald Trump boards Air Force One on August 15, 2025 at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. President Trump is traveling to Anchorage, Alaska, for peace talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the war in Ukraine. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images) (Getty Images/Andrew Harnik)

When pressed by Baier to confirm his willingness to walk away if the negotiations sour, Trump didn’t hesitate. 

WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT TRUMP’S MEETING WITH VLADIMIR PUTIN IN ALASKA

"I would walk, yeah," he said. 

During a separate press gaggle aboard the flight, Trump warned of "very severe" consequences if Russia fails to show progress towards ending the war. 

He also said additional sanctions would be put in place if the meeting failed to be productive. Still, the president voiced optimism about the outcome. 

"I think we’re going to do very well," Trump told Baier, before shifting to tout the country’s economic strength. 

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"Our country is doing very well. We’re setting records economically like we never have before, including stock markets at a record high. We’re taking in trillions and trillions of dollars with tariffs."

Watch the full interview on "Special Report" tonight at 6 p.m. ET on Fox News Channel.