US President Donald Trump has suggested that Ukraine’s leadership bears responsibility for the ongoing war with Russia, claiming the conflict could have been avoided had Ukrainian officials taken earlier steps to negotiate.
He also stated that he is likely to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin sometime this month.
Speaking from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, Trump stated that he believed the war could have been settled “very easily” if Ukraine had made a deal with Russia earlier, a sentiment that continues to fuel tensions surrounding the US role in the conflict.
“I think I have the power to end this war,” Trump declared, speaking after US and Russian officials held their first high-level talks in Saudi Arabia. He added that he could have brokered a deal that would have preserved Ukraine’s territory and avoided the loss of lives and destruction of cities.
Trump’s remarks came after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed concern about Ukraine’s absence from the recent negotiations in Riyadh, insisting that no deal on the war should be made without Ukraine's involvement.
“You cannot make decisions without Ukraine on how to end the war,” Zelenskyy told reporters while in Turkiye for separate discussions with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Trump, however, dismissed Zelenskyy’s frustration, suggesting that Ukraine had had ample opportunities to resolve the conflict before now.
“You should have never started it,” Trump said. “You could have made a deal for Ukraine.” He also noted, without providing evidence, that Zelenskyy’s approval rating had dropped significantly, referencing a poll that suggested just 4% of Ukrainians supported him, though other polls show a far higher approval rating.
In the same press conference, Trump said he was “much more confident” about the possibility of a peace deal after talks between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Riyadh.
The discussions marked the first official dialogue between the two nations since the war began, with both sides reportedly agreeing to appoint teams to explore a path to ending the conflict.
While Trump expressed support for European peacekeeping forces in Ukraine, he indicated that the United States should not send troops to the region. His stance contrasts with those of European leaders, including UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who has said peacekeeping forces may be necessary, and French President Emmanuel Macron, who suggested a limited deployment of troops.
Despite these differing views, Trump remains confident that Russia is eager to end the war, citing Russia’s willingness to engage in talks. “Russia wants to do something,” Trump said, describing their interest in ending what he termed “savage barbarism” in Ukraine.
Trump’s comments are likely to exacerbate tensions between his administration’s stance and that of the European Union. While the EU has been steadfast in its support for Ukraine, including military aid, Trump’s approach to the conflict raises questions about how a potential future peace deal might unfold if he were to return to the White House.
Zelenskyy’s government has continued to push for the involvement of NATO and Western allies in any discussions about the war’s end, stressing that Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity must be safeguarded.
In the midst of these ongoing debates, European leaders are set to meet for further talks in Paris this week, attempting to present a unified stance on the war. However, divisions within the EU about how to address the conflict suggest that reaching a consensus on the best approach may take more time.
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