US President Donald Trump seems to have effectively placed blame on Ukraine’s president for Russia’s invasion, expressing increased optimism about a potential deal to resolve the conflict following US-Russia discussions.
Trump intensified his calls for Volodymyr Zelensky to conduct elections, aligning with one of Russia’s primary requests, and critiqued the Ukrainian leader for expressing frustration over his exclusion from talks in Saudi Arabia.
The US president also indicated that he might meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin before the month concludes, as the US adjusts its approach to Russia, a shift that has caused concern among European leaders.
“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, responding to inquiries about the Ukrainian reaction to the discussions.
Volodymyr Zelensky previously dismissed the US-Russia talks for sidelining Ukraine.
Zelensky had earlier criticized the US-Russia discussions for excluding Ukraine, asserting that attempts to conclude the war must be “fair” and involve European nations, while also delaying his trip to Saudi Arabia.
Read more: US-Russia talks: A first step towards ending the war in Ukraine
When questioned about whether the United States would endorse demands from Russia for Zelensky to hold new elections as part of any agreement, Trump initially criticized the alleged approval ratings of the Ukrainians.
“They want a seat at the table, but you could say… wouldn’t the people of Ukraine have a say? It’s been a long time since we’ve had an election,” Trump remarked.
“That’s not a Russian thing, that’s coming from me and other countries.”
Zelensky was elected in 2019 for a five-year term but continues to serve as Ukraine remains under martial law.
‘Power to end this war’
European leaders are increasingly concerned that Trump is offering too many concessions to Russia in his quest for the Ukraine deal that he pledged to achieve even before taking office.
Nevertheless, Trump asserted that his only objective is “peace” to bring an end to the largest land conflict in Europe since World War II.
Trump expressed that he felt “much more confident” about a deal after the discussions, stating: “They were very good. Russia wants to do something. They want to stop the savage barbarianism.”
“I believe I have the power to end this war, and I think things are going very well,” Trump remarked.
US and Russian officials engaged in talks yesterday in Saudi Arabia.
The US leader added that he is “all for” the deployment of European peacekeepers in Ukraine if he can finalize a deal to end the conflict.
“If they want to do that, that’s great; I’m all for it,” he stated.
“I understand France is willing to assist, and I thought that was a beautiful gesture,” Trump remarked, indicating that the UK had made a similar offer.
The United States would not be required to contribute “because, you know, we’re very far away.”
Trump caused a stir last week by announcing that he had spoken with Putin and that the two leaders had agreed to initiate peace talks and travel to meet one another in Moscow and Washington.
Trump then indicated they would hold their first meeting, likely also in Saudi Arabia.
While no date has been confirmed, when asked if he would meet with the Russian president before the end of the month, Trump replied, “probably.”
