U.S. media: The Trump-Putin meeting is no longer a preliminary conference, and Putin's continued aggression will have "serious consequences."

On August 14, Jin10 data reported that before meeting with Russian President Putin, U.S. President Trump raised the stakes. This is not only about the Ukraine conflict but also about his own credibility. Three individuals who participated in discussions at the Trump summit assert that he is not bluffing; this is no longer the preliminary meeting as he had previously described. He privately told the Ukrainian president and NATO leaders that his goal is a ceasefire, then publicly threatened Putin that if he does not agree to stop fighting, there will be “very serious consequences.” “This is the most serious and direct statement Trump has ever made. He wants to show this to the world,” said a senior U.S. official. “Now, the responsibility lies with Putin: agree to a ceasefire or demonstrate real action, or face severe consequences,” the official continued, “Putin must show very proactive action.” Another U.S. official insisted that Putin “initiated contact with Trump” and then requested this meeting, and now he must deliver on that promise. But if the meeting fails and there are no severe consequences, Trump’s threats will appear even more hollow in the future.