U.S. President Donald Trump has shifted blame for the ongoing war in Ukraine to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, suggesting that Kyiv could have negotiated a settlement with Russia before the 2022 invasion even happened......CONTINUE READING THE ARTICLE FROM THE SOURCE>>>>>
Trump made the remarks following Zelenskyy’s criticism of the meeting between U.S. and Russian officials in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Both countries nominated teams to represent them at the negotiation table for ending the war in Ukraine. However, Zelenskyy insisted that any resolution to be reached must be fair and include Ukraine and European countries.
Responding, Trump expressed disappointment in Zelenskyy’s comments, stating that he should have made a deal that would prevent the war from even starting.
“I’m very disappointed. I hear that they’re upset about not having a seat,” Trump told reporters at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida on Tuesday.
“Today I heard, ‘Oh, well, we weren’t invited.’ Well, you’ve been there for three years… You should have never started it. You could have made a deal.”
Trump advocated for elections in Ukraine, questioning Zelensky’s continued stay in office.
“They want a seat at the table, but wouldn’t the people of Ukraine have a say? It’s been a long time since we’ve had an election,” he stated.
Ukraine has not held elections since the start of the war due to martial law in the country.
Trump also suggested he could meet Russian President Vladimir Putin before the end of the month in Saudi Arabia for direct talks—a shift that has angered European leaders.
Europe has expressed concerns about Trump’s position on the war and is set to hold a meeting to be hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron to have a united front on the war’s resolution.
European leaders remain divided over potential peacekeeping missions in Ukraine. Macron has suggested that limited troop deployments might be possible, but only in non-combat areas.
As diplomatic talks continue, the Kremlin has signalled its openness to negotiations, stating that Putin is “ready” to meet with Zelensky “if necessary.”
However, Russia reaffirmed its stance that while Ukraine may pursue European Union membership, it must not join the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO).