In a bold and controversial statement, former President Donald Trump has placed the blame for the ongoing war in Ukraine squarely on the shoulders of its President, Volodymyr Zelensky. Trump’s comments came after Zelensky expressed his surprise and frustration at not being invited to crucial peace talks in Saudi Arabia aimed at ending the conflict with Russia.
In an interview at his Mar-a-Lago residence, Trump didn’t mince words, suggesting that Ukraine had had ample opportunity to negotiate peace before the war escalated to its current state. “You should have never started it. You could have made a deal,” he said, adding that he could have brokered an agreement that would have spared lives and spared cities from destruction.
The war in Ukraine, now approaching its third year, was sparked by a full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022. Despite this, Trump maintained his stance that Ukraine had “had a seat at the table for three years,” and that the situation could have been avoided with earlier talks. His remarks have been met with backlash, as many argue that Russia’s invasion was an act of aggression that Ukraine had little power to prevent.
Meanwhile, in Riyadh, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, marking the first high-level talks between the US and Russia since the war began. The meeting concluded with a proposal to appoint teams to begin negotiating a peace deal. However, Lavrov made it clear that Russia would not accept peacekeeping forces from NATO countries in any peace settlement.
Zelensky, excluded from the talks, expressed his discontent with the situation, stating that Ukraine should have a voice in any discussions about its future. “You cannot make decisions without Ukraine on how to end the war in Ukraine,” he said, visibly upset. This sentiment reflects growing concerns within Ukraine that peace efforts are being pursued behind their backs, potentially without consideration for the country’s interests.
In the aftermath of the Riyadh meeting, Trump seemed optimistic about the prospects for peace. He expressed confidence that he could use his influence to bring an end to the war, describing Russia’s desire to stop the conflict as “savage barbarianism.”
Europe’s leaders, however, are divided on how to approach the conflict and the possibility of sending troops to Ukraine. While British Prime Minister Keir Starmer insisted that any peace deal would require a US security guarantee to prevent further Russian aggression, others, including Poland’s Prime Minister and Germany’s Chancellor, expressed reluctance about deploying troops in Ukraine at this stage.
Zelensky’s reaction was one of frustration as he reflected on the meeting in Riyadh. “We want everything to be fair and so that nobody decides anything behind our back,” he said, his tone conveying the gravity of Ukraine’s position. Despite the challenges, Zelensky is well aware that his country’s chances of defeating Russia without American and NATO support remain slim.
As the war rages on, and diplomatic talks continue, one thing is clear: the road to peace is fraught with complications, with no easy solution in sight. With world leaders at odds over their strategies, the future of Ukraine and the ongoing conflict remains uncertain.
