India, Aug. 12 -- US President Donald Trump has expressed optimism ahead of his meeting with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, saying he would know in the "first two minutes" whether he would strike a deal with Moscow to end the war in Ukraine.

Trump made the remark during a White House briefing that he called to announce plans for a federal takeover of Washington's police force to combat crime.

"At the end of that meeting, probably the first two minutes, I'll know exactly whether or not a deal can be made," Trump said ahead of his Friday summit with Putin, Associated Press reported.

Trump said he thought that the Friday's meeting with Putin in Alaska would be "really a feel-out meeting".

The US president said that "it'll be good, b...