•US President blames Ukrainian leader for prolonging conflict, defends Riyadh peace discussions
Mar-a-Lago, Florida| US President Donald Trump issued sharp criticism of Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky on Tuesday, accusing him of failing to resolve the war with Russia and rejecting opportunities for peace.
His comments followed a high-level US-Russia meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from which Ukraine and the European Union were excluded.
Trump, speaking to reporters at his Mar-a-Lago residence, dismissed Kiev’s complaints about being sidelined from the negotiations.
He argued that Ukraine had ample time to broker a peace deal with Moscow but instead chose to prolong the conflict.
“You should’ve never started this war,” Trump told reporters. “You’ve been there for three years, you should’ve ended it… You could’ve made a deal.”
Ukraine Lashes Out at Riyadh Talks
The meeting in Riyadh, which brought together senior officials from Washington and Moscow, provoked strong backlash from both Ukraine and the EU.
Zelensky denounced the negotiations as “disreputable” and accused the US of “helping Putin get out of years of isolation.”
He vowed that Ukraine would reject any terms imposed by discussions in which it did not participate.
Despite Zelensky’s objections, both Moscow and Washington described the talks as constructive.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov emphasized that “the sides not only listened but also heard each other” and suggested that the US was beginning to better understand Russia’s position.
Trump reinforced this sentiment, expressing confidence that his administration had “the power to end this war” and “save lives.”
He maintained that Ukraine’s complaints were unwarranted, insisting that the onus was on Kiev to engage in peace efforts rather than lament its exclusion from diplomatic channels.
US and Russia Move Toward Summit, Ukraine’s Role Unclear
One of the key outcomes of the Riyadh talks was an agreement to work toward restoring US-Russia relations and exploring a resolution to the Ukraine conflict.
Officials from both sides confirmed plans to arrange a summit between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, though details remain undisclosed.
Putin, speaking from Moscow, welcomed the progress made in Riyadh and reiterated that Russia has “never shut the door on peace negotiations.”
He accused Ukraine and the EU of severing diplomatic channels, reminding the international community that Kiev formally withdrew from the Istanbul peace talks in 2022 and later enacted a legal ban on negotiations with Russia.
“No one is excluding Ukraine,” Putin stated. “It was Ukraine that walked away from talks and declared negotiations impossible.”
The Riyadh discussions mark a significant shift in US foreign policy, with Trump signaling a willingness to engage directly with Russia while sidelining traditional Western allies and Ukraine.
Whether this approach will lead to an actual ceasefire or lasting peace remains uncertain, as Ukraine continues to reject any arrangement that does not align with its own terms.
For now, the diplomatic landscape appears to be shifting, with Washington and Moscow edging closer to direct engagement while Ukraine struggles to maintain its influence over the negotiation process.
Share This Post