"Trump Blames Ukraine, Plans Putin Meeting on War Talks"

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has suggested that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is responsible for prolonging the war with Russia, while indicating that he may meet Russian President Vladimir Putin later this month.

Speaking to reporters after a U.S.-Russia diplomatic meeting in Saudi Arabia, Trump dismissed concerns over Ukraine’s absence from negotiations and implied that Kyiv should have resolved the conflict earlier.

“I think I have the power to end this war, and I think it’s going very well. But today, I heard, ‘Oh, well, we weren’t invited.’ Well, you’ve been there for three years. You should have ended it,” Trump said at a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.

“You should have never started it. You could have made a deal. I could have made a deal for Ukraine.”

U.S.-Russia Talks in Riyadh

The diplomatic talks in Riyadh, led by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, aimed to explore possible pathways to ending the war. Trump expressed optimism about the discussions, stating that Russia is interested in halting the violence.

“The talks were very productive. Russia wants to see an end to the suffering and destruction,” he said.

When asked about the possibility of elections in Ukraine as part of a peace agreement, Trump claimed, without presenting evidence, that Zelenskyy’s approval rating had plummeted to 4 percent. He also pointed out that Ukraine had postponed its elections under martial law.

“Wouldn’t the people of Ukraine want to have a say in their leadership? It’s been a long time since they’ve had an election,” Trump said. “That’s not a Russia thing—that’s something a lot of countries are asking.”

Ukraine’s Stance on Peace Talks Trump

Zelenskyy, meanwhile, has insisted that Ukraine must be included in any negotiations determining the outcome of the war. During a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara, he reinforced Kyiv’s position:

“No agreement about Ukraine’s future can be made without Ukraine’s direct involvement,” Zelenskyy said.

The U.S. State Department later confirmed that Rubio and Lavrov had agreed to assign high-level teams to draft a roadmap toward peace. However, concerns remain that Trump’s approach may involve major concessions to Moscow.

Europe’s Response and Peacekeeping Plans

European leaders are divided on how to respond to the ongoing negotiations. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has stated he would support sending peacekeeping troops to Ukraine, while French President Emmanuel Macron has proposed deploying a limited force in non-combat zones.

However, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has rejected such proposals, calling them premature. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk also ruled out sending Polish troops into Ukraine.

Following an emergency summit that failed to produce a unified stance, European leaders are set to reconvene in France for additional talks.

Trump Position on Peacekeepers

During his press conference, Trump expressed support for European peacekeeping forces but ruled out any direct U.S. military involvement.

“If European nations want to send peacekeepers, that’s up to them. I think that’s great,” Trump stated. “But the United States will not be sending troops.”

As diplomatic efforts continue, the global community remains divided on the best path forward, with many awaiting further clarity on Trump’s potential meeting with Putin and the evolving role of Europe in the conflict resolution process.